IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


I.I 


1.25 


.t  1^ 


M 
1.8 


U    III  1.6 


V] 


<^ 


/] 


oj*, 


*: 


^>, 


v: 


0} 


/A 


Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


33  WEST  MAIN  STREE^ 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14SB0 

(716)  872-4503 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


^ 


>> 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notas/Notes  techniques  et  bibiiographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


D 


1] 


D 


□ 


D 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


Couverture  endommagde 


Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaur6e  et/ou  pellicul6e 


I      I    Cover  title  missing/ 


Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


I      I    Coloured  maps/ 


Cartes  gdographiques  en  couleur 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bieue  ou  noire) 


I      I    Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 


Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
Reli6  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  reliure  serrde  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  intirieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajout^es 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  6tait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  6t6  film^es. 


Tl 
to 


L'Institut  a  micmfilmi  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  6t6  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-Atre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  methods  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiquis  ci-dessous. 


D 
D 

n 
a 

G 
D 

n 

D 
D 
D 


Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagies 

Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restaurdes  et/ou  pellicul6es 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  d6color6es,  tachetdes  ou  piqudes 

Pages  detached/ 
Pages  ddtachdes 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  print  varies/ 
Quality  indgale  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  material/ 
Comprend  du  materiel  supplementaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 

Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  p'lges  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  6t6  film^es  i  nouveau  de  fapon  d 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


Tl 

P< 
o1 
fil 


O 

b« 
th 
si 
oi 
fil 
si 

OI 


Tl 
si 
Tl 
w 

M 
di 
er 
b( 

"! 
re 
m 


D 


Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppl6mentaires; 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  film6  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqu6  ci-dessous. 

10X  14X  18X  22X 


26X 


30X 


J 

12X 


16X 


20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


B 

^tails 
B  du 

lodifier 
r  une 
Image 


The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

National  Library  of  Canada 


The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


L'exemplaire  fiimd  fut  reproduit  grAce  d  la 
g6n6rosit6  de: 

BibliothAque  nationale  du  Canada 


Les  images  suivantes  ont  6t6  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin.  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  nettet6  de  l'exemplaire  film6,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 


s 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  ^^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED "),  or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimis  sont  film^s  en  commenpant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  selon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  filmis  en  commenpant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  derniire  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaltra  sur  la 
derridre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbols  — »-  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  tc 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
film6s  d  des  taux  de  reduction  diff6rents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clich6,  il  est  filmd  A  partir 
de  Tangle  sup^rieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  n6cessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  m^thode. 


Krata 
to 


pelure, 
in  d 


D 


32X 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

/I 


rA 


7/ 


\ 


g^^sS^^SSiSS^ 


1746. 


r^^ii^s^ 


* 


NARRATIVE 


or    THE 


Capture  and  Burning 


or 


FORT  MASSACHUSETTS 


BY  THE 


FRENCH  AND  INDIANS, 

IN  THE  TIME  OF  THE  WAR  OF    1744-1749,  AND  THE  CAPTIVITY 

OF    ALL    THOSE    STATIONED    THERE,  TO    THE 

Nl.'N?BER  OK  THIRTY  PERSONS. 


WRITTEN  AT  THE  TIME  BY  ONE  OF  THE  CAPTIVES,  THE  y f 

Rev,  Mr.  JOHN  NORTON,  ^/ 

CHAPLAIN   OF  THE   FORT.  ^ 

NOW    FIRST    PUBLISHED    WITH    NOTES,    BY 

SAMUEL  G.  DRAKE. 


ALBANY  : 
Printed  for  S.  G.  Drake  of  Boston^  by  Joel  Munsell. 

1870. 


ONLY  ONE   HUNDRED  COPIES  PRINTED. 


NOTICE 


l>F      THI 


REV.  MR.  JOHN  NORTON. 


•3 


iR.  NORTON  was  born  in  Berlin, 
Connedticut,  1716  ;  graduated  at  Yale 
College  in  1737.  Four  years  after, 
namely,  in  1 741,  he  was  ordained  in 
Fall  Town,  since  Bernardston,  Massa- 
chusetts, and  was  the  first  minister  in 
that  town.  Owing  "  to  the  unsettled  state  of  the  times,"  he 
continued  in  Fall  Town  but  about  four  years ;  the  people 
had  quite  as  much  as  they  could  do  to  maintain  their  families, 
while  they  were  exposed  to  inroads  of  the  enemy  in  a  war 
already  commenced.  The  statement  of  his  having  been  set- 
tled at  Deerfield  in  1741,  is  probably  incorredl.  After  bis 
return  from  captivity  he  was  installed  pastor  of  the  Congre- 
gational church  in  East  Hampton,  Middlesex  county,  Con- 
nedlicut,   November   30th,    1748,   where   he  continued  about 


BBife 


4  Notice  of  Rev.  John  Norton, 

thirty  years,  at  which  period  he  fpll  a  vidim  to  the  small  pox 
(March  24th,  1748). 

Bernard's  Town,  at  the  time  Mr.  Norton  preached  there  was, 
as  just  mentioned,  called  Fall  Town.  It  was  thus  designated 
because  it  was  granted  to  the  soldiers,  or  the  descendants  of 
those  soldiers  who  were  in  the  fight  with  the  Indians  at  the 
Great  Falls  in  the  Connecticut  river.  May  i8th,  1676.  While 
in  captivity  his  wife  applied  to  the  government  of  Massachusetts 
for  the  wages  due  him  as  chaplain,  and  at  one  time  received  one 
pound  sixteen  shillings  and  six  pence,  then   due,   March    12th, 

1747- 

Mr.  Norton's  captivity  was  of  one  year's  continuance,  want- 
ing four  days.  His  narrative  was  printed  in  1748,  in  Boston, 
"and  sold  opposite  the  prison."  Who  the  printer  was,  or  the 
bookseller,  is  not  mentioned.  As  Daniel  Fowle  kept  in  Queen 
street  at  this  time,  and  the  prison  was  in  that  street,  where  the 
court  house  now  is,  he  was  probably  the  printer.  The  author 
was  perhaps  his  own  publisher.  He  appears  not  to  have  had 
much  pradice  as  a  writer,  but  what  is  of  more  importance,  he 
was  evidently  one  of  the  most  truthful,  while  the  printer  did 
not  perform  his  part  with  much  credit  to  himself,  which  might 
have  been  the  occasion  of  his  withholding  his  name  to  Mr. 
Norton's  work. 

Mr.  Norton  was  thirty  years  of  age  when  taken  prisoner  ; 
and  though  he  has  given  us  a  work  full  of  valuable  fadts,  he 
evidently  had  had  little  experience  in  literary  matters,  and  would 


Notice  of  Rev,  John  Norton.  | 

have  made  his  work  much  more  valuable  had  he  re-written  it  at 
a  later  day.  But  narratives  of  the  kind  of  this  of  Mr.  Norton's 
would  not  at  the  time  of  its  publication,  attraft  the  attention 
of  the  reading  public.  His  immediate  friends,  and  the  friends 
of  those  in  captivity  with  him,  were  about  all  who  would  take 
any  interest  in  its  publication.  There  was  no  charm  of  compo- 
sition about  it.  Its  details  are  the  dryest  possible.  Hence  its 
circulation  was  of  the  most  limited  kind.  This  circumstance  may 
account  for  its  extreme  scarcity,  which  scarcity  probably  extends 
back  to  within  a  very  few  years  of  its  publication.  Many  of 
the  most  valuable  works  have  been  issued  in  small  editions  i  a 
few  copies  only  bound  or  stitched  up  to  meet  the  first  demands 
of  friends  ;  the  rest  are  taken  by  the  author  into  the  country, 
perhaps  in  sheets,  and  eventually  used  for  waste  paper  ;  or, 
possibly  left  on  the  printer's  hands  to  meet  a  similar  fate.  Such 
cases  are  known  to  the  writer.  m^ 


..# 


Il    I 


[Cnpy  of  iht  Tith'fiage  ai  origina/ly  inutii.] 
Being  a 

NARRATIVE 

Of  the  taking  and  carrying  into  CAPTIVITY 

The  Reverend 
MR.  JOHN  NORxON 

When  Fort  Massachusetts  Surre.  iered  to  ^  hrgt 
Body  of  French  ^  Indians  Aug.  20  h,  4746. 

With  a  particular  Account  of  the  Defence  made  before  the 
Surrender  of  that  Fort,  and  the  Articles  of  ^^apitulation,  &c. 

Together  with  an  account  both  entertaining  and  affe'^ing  of 
what  Mr.  NORTON  met  with  and  took  Notice  of,  in  a'ln 
travelling  to,  and  while  in  Captivity  at  Canada^  and  til)  his 
arrival  at  Boston^  on  August  16,  1747. 

WLvitun  f}V!  fiftnself. 

Jere.  21-4.  Thus  saith  the  Lord, — Behold,  I  will  turn  back  the  Weapons 
of  War  that  are  in  your  Hands  tvherewith  ye  fight  against  the  King 
of  Babylon,  and  against  the  Chaldeans,  which  besiege  you  rvithout  the 
Walls  iff  I  will  assemble  them  into  this  City. 

Chap.  50.  33.  The  Children  of  Israel,  and  the  Children  of  Judah  were 
oppressed  together,  and  all  that  took  them  Captives  held  them  fast,  they 
refused  to  let  them  go. 

Lam.  1.  3.  Judah  is  gone  into  Captivity,  because  of  Affliction. 

Neh,  7.  6.   These  are  the  Children  of  the  Province,  that  went  up  out  of 
the  Captivity,  of  those  that  had  been  carried  away. 

BOSTON :   Printed  &  Sold  opposite  the  Prison.      1748. 


^^ 


Norton's  lEleDeemeD  Captibe* 


HURSDAY,  August  14,  1746,  I  left 
Fort  Shirley, t  in  company  with  Dr. 
[Thomas]  Williams,  and  about  four- 
teen of  the  soldiers  ;  we  went  to  Pel- 
ham  Fort,  and  from  thence  to  Captain 
Rice's,  where  we  lodged  that  night. 
Friday,  the  15th,  we  went  from  thence  to  Fort  Massachu- 
setts, where  I  designed  to  have  tarried  about  a  month. 

Saturday,  1 6th.  The  doClor,  with  fourteen  men,  went  off 
for  Deerfield,  and  left  in  the  fort,  Sergeant  John  Hawks,|  with 
twenty  soldiers,  about  half  of  them  sick  with  bloody  flux.  Mr. 
Hawks  sent  a  letter  by  the  doctor  to  the  captain,  supposing 
that  he  was  then  at  Deerfield,  desiring  that  he  would  speedily 
send  up  some  stores  to  the  fort,  being  very  short  on  it  for 
ammunition,  and  having  discovered  some  signs  of  the   enemy  ; 

*  The  figures  thus  enclosed  denote  the  J  The  same  who  was   ambushed  and 

original  paginatio"  of  Mr.  Norton's  work,  wounded    at     Fort    Massachusetts,    May 

f  In  what  is  since  the  town  of  Heath,  9th,      1746.       He    had    been   a   captive 

about  eighteen  miles  north  noith  west  of"  among     the    Indiins,    and   was    recently 

Northampton,  Mass.  reti"-ned. 


'J^iUdLWiiita^ 


10 


Norton's  Redeemed  Captive.         [^746. 


but  the  letter  did  not  get  to  the  captain  seasonably.  This  day, 
also,  two  of  our  men  being  out  a  few  miles  distant  from  the 
fort,  discovered  the  tracks  of  some  of  the  enemy. 

Lord's  day  and  Monday,  17th  and  i8th,  we  met  with  no 
disturbance,  nor  did  we  discover  any  enemy  ;  but  the  sickness 
was  very  distressing  ;  for  though  some  began  to  amend,  yet 
there  were  more  taken  sick.  Eleven  of  our  men  were  sick, 
and  scarcely  one  of  us  in  perfect  health  ;  almost  every  man  was 
troubled  with  the  griping  and  flux. 

Tuesday,  19th.  Between  eight  and  nine  o'clock  in  the 
[4]  morning,  when,  througli  the  good  providence  of  God,  we 
were  all  in  the  fort,  twenty-two  men,  three  women,  and  five 
children,  there  appeared  an  army  of  French  and  Indians,  eight 
or  nine  hundred  in  number,  commanded  by  Monsieur  Regand 
de  Vaudriile,*  who,  having  surrounded  the  fort  on  every  side, 
began  with  hideous  acclamations  to  rush  forward  upon  the  fort, 
firing  incessantly  upon  us  on  every  side.  Mr.  Hawks,  our 
officer,  ordered  that  we  should  let  them  come  without  firing  at 
all  at  them,  until  they  should  approach  within  a  suitable  distance, 
that  we  might  have  a  good  prospedl  of  doing  execution. 

We  suffered  them  to  come  up  in  a  body  i.'\  they  were 
within  twenty  rods  of  us,  and  then  we  fired  ;  upon  which  the 
enemy  soon  betook  themselves  to  trees,  stumps  and  logs,  where 
they  lay  and  fired  incessantly  upon  us  -,  some  taking  opportunity 
to  run  from  one  tree  and  stump  to  another,  and  so  drew  nearer 
to  the  fort.  This  they  did  in  a  very  subtle  manner,  running  so 
rooked   that  it  was  very  difficult  to  shoot  at  them  with  any 

*  His  real  name  was   Pierre  Fran9ois  Cavagnal ;    was  born    in    Montreal,   8th 

Rigaud  de  Vaudreuil.      He   was    brother  February,  1704.      He  was    living    as  late 

of  the  last   French  Governor  of  Canada,  as  1770.     See  Morgan's  Celebrated  Cana- 

the  Marquis,  Pierre  Francois  de  Vaudreuil-  liians,  46. 


£ 


1746.]         Norton's  Redeemed  Captive. 


1 1 


good  prospedl  of  success,  until  we  observed,  that  when  they 
came  to  a  stump,  they  would  fall  down  ;  which  we  observing, 
prepared  to  catch  them  there  as  they  fell  down  by  the  stumps  ; 
and  this  we  did  probably  with  success  ;  for  they  soon  left  off 
this  method.  About  this  time  we  saw  several  of  the  enemy 
fall  and  rise  no  more  ;  among  which  was  the  captain  of  the  St. 
Francis  Indians,  who  was  one  of  the  foremost,  and  called  upon 
the  rest  to  press  on  upon  the  forv.  Sergeant  Hawks  got  an 
opportunity  to  shoot  him  into  the  breast,  which  ended  his  days.* 

At  the  beginning  of  the  engagement,  the  General  sent  his 
ensign  with  his  standard  (which  he,  standing  [5]  behind  a  tree 
about  thirty  rods  distant  from  the  fort,  displayed),  the  General 
also  walked  up  the  hill  within  about  forty  rods  of  the  fort,  where 
he  stood  and  gave  his  orders  ;  but  being  discovered  he  had  a 
shot  or  two  fired  at  him  ;  upon  which  he  moved  off;  but  pre- 
sently after  comes  to  his  ensign,  where,  being  discovered,  he 
received  a  shot  in  his  arm,  which  made  him  retreat  with  his 
ensign  to  their  camp. 

The  enemy  still  continued  to  fire  almost  incessantly  upon 
us,  and  many  of  them  crept  up  within  a  dozen  rods  of  the  fort. 
We  were  straitened  for  want  of  shot.  Several  of  our  men 
being  newly  come  into  the  service,  and  for  want  of  bullet 
moulds,  had  not  prepared  for  any  long  engagement,  and  therefore 
the  sergeant  ordered  some  of  our  sick  men  to  make  bullets, 
another  to  run  some  shot,  having  shot  moulds.  This  put  him 
upon  taking  particular  notice  of  the  ammunition,  and  he  found 
it  to  be  very  short,  and  therefore  gave  orders  that  we  should  not 
fire  any  more  than  we  thought  necessary  to  hold   the  enemy 

*  The  name  of  this  Chief  does  not  ap-  English  recorded  it.  Though  tiie  St.  Fran- 
pear  to  have  been  mentioned  in  the  French  cis  tribe  were  represented  at  the  treaties 
reports  of  the  expedition,   nor   have   the     of  1735  and  1742,  no  names  are  given. 


t2 


NortoTis  Redeemed  Captive.  [  1 746. 


back,  unless  when  we  had  a  very  good  opportunity  and  fair 
prospedl  of  doing  execution ;  so  that  we  fired  but  little.  We 
had  sometimes  very  fair  shot,  and  had  success.  We  saw 
several  fall,  who,  we  are  persuaded,  never  rose  again.  We 
might  have  shot  at  the  enemy  almost  any  time  in  the  day,  who 
were  in  open  view  of  the  fort,  within  fifty  or  sixty  rods  of  the 
same,  and  sometimes  within  forty  and  less;  the  officers  some- 
times walking  about,  sword  in  hand,  viewing  of  us,  and  others 
walking  back  and  forth  as  they  had  occasion,  without  molesta- 
tion, for  we  dare  not  spend  our  ammunition  upon  them  that 
were  at  such  a  distance. 

Towards  evening  the  enemy  began  to  use  their  axes  and 
hatchets.  Some  were  thoughtful  that  they  were  preparing  lad- 
[6]  ders  in  order  to  storm  the  fort  in  the  night;  but  afterward 
we  found  our  mistake,  for  they  were  preparing  faggots  in  order 
to  burn  it.  This  day  they  wounded  tv/o  of  our  men,  viz, 
John  Aldrich  they  shot  through  the  foot,  and  Jonathan  Bridg- 
man  with  a  flesh  wound  the  back  side  of  his  hip.  When  the 
evening  came  on  the  sergeant  gave  orders  that  all  the  tubs, 
pails,  and  vessels  of  every  sort,  in  every  room,  should  be  filled 
with  water,  and  went  himself  to  see  it  done ;  he  also  looked  to 
the  doors,  that  they  were  made  as  fast  as  possible.  He  like- 
wise cut  a  passage  from  one  room  to  another,  that  he  might  put 
the  fort  into  as  good  a  posture  for  defense  as  might  be,  in  case 
they  should  attempt  to  storm  it.  He  distributed  the  men  into 
the  several  rooms.  While  he  was  thus  preparing,  he  kept  two 
men  in  the  north-west  mount,*  and  some  in  the  great  house, 
the  south-east  corner  of  the  fort,  to  watch  the  enemy  and  keep 
them  back. 

I  was  in  the  mount  all  the  evening ;   it  was  cloudy  and  very 

*  A  sort  ot  watch   box   in   an  angle  oi  corner  of"  the  fort,  on  the  top  of  the  wall. 


1746.  J         Nortoris  Redeemed  Captive. 


13 


dark  the  beginning  of  the  evening.  The  enemy  kept  a  con- 
stant fire  upon  us,  and,  as  I  thought,  approached  nearer  and  in 
greater  numbers  than  they  had  in  the  daytime.  We  had  but 
little  encouragement  to  fire  upon  the  enemy,  having  but  the 
light  of  their  fire  to  diredl  us,  yet  we  dared  not  wholly  omit  it, 
lest  they  should  be  emboldened  to  storm  the  fort.  VVe  fired 
buck-shot  at  them,  and  have  reason  to  hope  wc  did  some  exe- 
cution, for  the  enemy  complained  of  our  shooting  buck-shot  at 
that  time,  which  they  could  not  have  known  had  they  not  felt 
some  of  them.  They  continued  thus  to  fire  upon  us  until 
between  eight  and  nine  at  night,  then  the  whole  army  (as  we 
supposed)  surrounded  the  fort,  and  shouted,  or  rather  veiled, 
with  the  [7]  most  hideous  outcries,  all  around  the  fort.  This 
they  repeated  three  or  four  times.  We  expe6led  they  would 
have  followed  this  with  a  storm,  but  were  mistaken,  for  they 
diredlly  set  their  watch  all  round  the  fort ;  and  besides  their 
watch  they  sent  some  to  creep  up  as  near  the  fort  as  they  could, 
to  observe  whether  any  persons  attempted  to  make  their  escape, 
to  carry  tidings  to  New  England.*  The  body  of  the  army 
then  drew  back  to  their  camps;  some  in  the  swamp  west  of 
the  fort,  the  other  part  to  the  south-east,  by  the  river  side. 
We  then  considered  what  was  best  to  be  done ;  whether  to  send 
a  post  down  to  Deerfield  or  not.  We  looked  upon  it  very 
improbable,  if  not  morally  impossible,  for  any  men  to  get  off 
undiscovered ;  and  therefore  the  sergeant  would  not  lay  his 
commands  upon  any  to  go ;  but  he  proposed  it  to  several, 
desired  and  encouraged  them  as  far  as  he  thought  convenient ; 
but  there  was  not  a  man  willing  to  venture  out.  So  the  ser- 
geant, having   placed  the   men   in   every   part  of  the  fort,  he 

*  It  seems   odd   at  this   day,  tliat   but     writing   of"   a    locality   in    Massachusetts, 
little  more  than  a  hundred  years  ago,  one     should  refer  to  it  as  out  of  New  England. 

3 


H 


Norton* s  Redeemed  Captive.         [1746. 


ordered  all  the  sick  and  feeble  men  to  get  what  rest  they  could, 
and  not  regard  the  enemy's  acclamations,  but  to  lie  still  all  night, 
unless  he  should  call  for  them.  Of  those  that  were  in  health, 
some  were  ordered  to  keep  the  watch,  and  some  lay  down  and 
endeavored  to  get  some  rest ;  lying  d'  «vn  in  our  clothes,  with 
our  arms  by  us.  I  lay  down  the  fore  part  of  the  night.  We  got 
little  or  no  rest,  the  enemy  frequently  raised  us  by  their  hideous 
outcries  as  though  they  were  about  to  attack  us.  The  latter 
part  of  the  night  I  kept  the  watch. 

Wednesday,  20.  As  soon  as  it  began  to  be  light  the 
enemy  shouted  and  began  to  fire  upon  us  for  a  few  minutes, 
and  then  ceased  for  a  little  time.  The  serg[8]eant  ordered 
every  man  to  his  place,  and  sent  two  men  up  into  the  watch- 
box.  The  enemy  came  into  the  field  of  corn  to  the  sou  h  and 
south-east  of  the  fort,  and  fought  against  that  side  of  the  fort 
harder  than  they  did  the  day  before ;  but  unto  the  north-west 
side  they  did  not  approach  so  near  as  they  had  the  first  day,  yet 
they  kept  a  continual  fire  on  that  side.  A  number  went  up 
also  into  the  mountain  north  of  the  fort,  where  they  could 
shoot  over  the  north  side  of  the  fort  into  the  middle  of  the 
parade.  A  considerable  number  of  the  enemy  also  kept  their 
axes  and  hatchets  continually  at  work,  preparing  faggots,  and 
their  stubbing  hoes  and  spades,  etc.,  in  order  to  burn  the  fort. 
About  eleven  o'clock,  Thomas  Knowlton,  one  of  our  men, 
being  in  the  watch-box,  was  shot  through  the  head,  so  that 
some  of  his  brains  came  out,  yet  life  remained  in  him  for  some 
hours. 

About  twelve  o'clock,  the  enemy  desired  to  parley.  We 
agreed  to  it,  and  when  we  came  to  General  De  Voudriule,  he 
promised  us  good  quarter,  if  we  would  surrender ;  otherwise 
he  should  endeavor  to  take   us  by  force.     The  sergeant  told 


1746.]         Norton* s  Redeemed  Captive. 


15 


him  he  should  have  an  answer  within  two  hours.  We  came 
into  the  fort  and  examined  the  state  of  it.  The  whole  of  our 
ammunition  we  did  not  judge  to  be  above  three  or  four  pounds 
of  powder,  and  not  more  lead :  and,  after  prayers  unto  God  for 
wisdom  and  dire(5lion,  we  considered  our  case,  whether  there 
was  any  probability  of  our  being  able  to  withstand  the  enemy 
or  not ;  for  we  supposed  that  they  would  not  leave  us  till  they 
had  made  a  vigorous  attempt  upon  us;  and  if  they  did,  we 
knew  our  ammunition  would  be  spent  in  a  few  minutes  time, 
and  then  we  should  be  obliged  [9]  to  lay  at  their  mercy.  Had 
we  all  been  in  health,  or  had  there  been  onlv  those  eight  of 
us  that  were  in  health,  1  believe  every  man  would  willingly 
have  stood  it  out  to  the  last.  For  my  part  I  should ;  but  we 
feared,  that  if  we  were  taken  by  violence,  the  sick,  the  wounded, 
and  the  women,  would  most,  if  not  all  of  them,  die  by  the 
hands  of  the  savages;  therefore  our  officer  concluded  to  sur- 
render on  the  best  terms  he  could  get,  which  were, 

I.  That  we  should  be  all  prisoners  to  the  French ;  the 
general  promising  that  the  savages  should  have  nothing  to  do 
with  any  of  us. 

II.  That  the  children  should  all  live  with  their  parents 
during  the  time  of  their  captivity. 

III.  That  we  should  all  have  the  privilege  of  being  ex- 
changed the  first  opportunity  that  presented. 

Besides  these  particulars,  the  general  promised  that  all  the 
prisoners  should  have  all  christian  care  and  charity  exercised 
toward  them ;  that  those  who  were  weak  and  unable  to  travel, 
should  be  carried  in  their  journey ;  that  we  should  all  be  allowed 


ililii 


i6 


Norton* s  Redeemed  Captive.         [  1 746. 


to  keep  our  clothing ;  and  that  we  might  leave  a  few  lines  to 
inform  our  friends  what  was  become  of  us.* 

About  three  of  the  clock  we  admitted  the  general  and  a 
number  of  his  officers  into  the  fort.  Upon  which  he  set  up 
his  standard.  The  gate  was  not  opened  to  the  rest.  The 
gentlemen  spake  comfortably  to  our  people;  and  on  our  peti- 
tion that  the  dead  corpse  might  not  be  abused,  but  buried. 
They  said  that  it  should  be  buried.  But  the  Indians  seeing 
that  they  were  shut  out,  soon  fell  to  pulling  out  the  underpin- 
ning of  the  fort,  and  crept  into  it,  opened  the  gates,  so  that  the 
parade  was  quickly  full.  They  [lo]  shouted  as  soon  as  they 
saw  the  blood  of  the  dead  corpse  under  the  watch-box ;  but 
the  French  kept  them  down  for  some  time,  and  did  not  suffer 
them  to  meddle  with  it.  After  some  time  the  Indians  seemed 
to  be  in  a  ruffle ;  and  presently  rushed  up  into  the  watch-box, 
brought  down  the  dead  corpse,  carried  it  out  of  the  fort,  scalped 
it,  and  cut  off  the  head  and  arms.  A  young  Frenchman  took 
one  of  the  arr.iS  and  flayed  it,  roasted  the  flesh,  and  offered 
some  of  it  to  Daniel  Smeed,  one  of  the  prisoners,  to  eat,  but 
he  refused  it.  The  Frenchman  dressed  the  skin  of  the  arm 
(as  we  afterwards  heard)  and  made  a  tobacco  pouch  of  it.f 
After  they  had  plundered  the  fort,  they  set  it  on  fire,  and  led 
us  out  to  their  camp. 

We  had  been  at  their  camp  but  a  little  time,  when  Mons. 
Doty,  the  general's  interpreter,  called  mc  aside,  and  desired  me 


*  Mr.  Norton  accordingly  wrote  a  brief 
letter,  which  he  placed  upon  the  well 
crotch.  It  was  afterwards  found  by  the 
English.  Its  contents  are  given  in  the 
history  of  this  war,  page  1 20. 

f  It  was  no  uncommon  thing  for  the 
Indians  to  make  use  of  the  skin  of  their 


enemies  in  this  way;  but  instances  of 
the  white  people  imitating  them  are  rare. 
It  is  probably  true  that  some  of  the  Ken- 
tuckians,  in  the  war  of  1812,  were  guilty 
of  such  adts,  after  General  Harrison's 
vidlory  of  the  Thames,  and  perhaps  at 
other  times. 


1746.]         Norton* s  Redeemed  Captive. 


17 


to  speak  to  our  soldiers,  and  persuade  them  to  go  with  the 
Indians ;  for  he  said  the  Indians  were  desirous  that  some  of 
them  should  go  with  them ;  and  said  that  Sergeant  Hawks, 
myself,  and  the  families,  should  go  with  the  French  officers. 
I  answered  him,  that  it  was  contrary  to  our  agreement,  and  the 
general's  promise ;  and  would  be  to  throw  away  the  lives  of 
some  of  our  men  who  were  sick  and  wounded.  He  said,  no ; 
but  the  Indians  would  be  kind  to  them ;  and  though  they  were 
all  prisoners  to  the  French,  yet  he  hoped  some  of  them  would 
be  willing  to  go  with  the  Indians. 

We  spoke  to  Sergeant  Hawks,  and  he  urged  it  upon  him. 
We  proposed  it  to  some  of  our  men  who  were  in  health, 
whether  they  were  willing  to  go  or  not,  but  they  were  utterly 
unwilling.  I  returned  to  Doty,  and  told  him  that  we  should  by 
no  means  consent  that  any  of  our  men  should  go  with  the 
Indians,  [ii]  We  took  the  General  to  be  a  man  of  honor, 
and  we  hoped  to  find  him  so.  We  knew  that  it  was  the  man- 
ner of  the  Indians  to  abuse  their  prisoners,  and  sometimes  to 
kill  those  that  failed  in  traveling,  and  carrying  packs,  which  we 
knew  that  some  of  our  men  could  not  do ;  and  we  thought  it 
but  little  better  for  the  General  to  deliver  them  to  the  Indians 
than  it  would  be  to  abuse  them  himself;  and  had  I  thought 
that  the  general  would  have  delivered  any  of  our  men  to  the 
savages,  I  should  have  strenuously  opposed  the  surrender  of 
the  fort,  for  I  had  rather  have  died  in  fight,  than  to  see  any  of 
our  men  killed  while  we  had  no  opportunity  to  resist.  He  said 
that  the  general  would  see  that  they  should  not  be  abused ;  and 
he  did  not  like  it  that  I  was  so  jealous  and  afraid.  I  told  him 
I  was  not  the  officer,  but  as  he  spake  to  me,  so  I  had  freely 
spoken  my  mind,  and  discharged  my  duty  in  it;  and  he  had  no 
reason  t.o  be  oft'ended,  and  I  hoped  the  general  would  not  insist 


i8 


Norton's  Redeemed  Captive.         \  1 746. 


on  this  thing,  but  would  make  good  his  promise  to  all  the 
prisoners.  He  went  to  the  general,  and  after  a  little  time  the 
officers  came  and  took  away  John  Perry  and  his  wife,  and  all 
the  soldiers  but  Sergeant  Hawks,  John  Smeed,  and  Moses  Scott, 
and  their  families,  and  distributed  them  among  the  Indians. 
Some  French  officers  took  the  care  of  the  families,  namely, 
Smeed's  and  Scott's ;  and  Mons.  Demuy  *  took  me  with  him, 
and  M.  St.  Luc  Lacornf  took  Sergeant  Hawks  with  him  ;  and 
so  we  reposed  that  night,  having  a  strong  guard  set  over  us. 

Thursday,  21.  In  the  morning  I  obtained  liberty  to  go  to 
the  place  of  the  fort,  and  set  up  a  letter,  which  I  did,  with  a 
Frenchman  and  some  Indians  in  company.  I  nailed  the  letter 
on  the  west  post.  This  [12]  morning  I  saw  Josiah  Reed,  who 
was  very  weak  and  feeble  by  reason  of  his  long  and  tedious 
sickness.  I  interceded  with  the  general  for  him,  that  he  would 
not  send  him  with  the  Indians,  but  could  not  prevail.  I  also 
interceded  with  the  general  for  John  Aldrich,  who,  being 
wounded  in  the  foot,  was  not  able  to  travel ;  but  the  interpre- 
ter told  me  they  must  go  with  the  Indians,  but  they  should  npt 
be  hurt  ;  and  that  they  had  canoes  a  little  down  the  river,  in 
which  the  weak  and  feeble  should  be  carried.  We  then  put 
up  our  things,  and  set  on  our  march  for  Crown  Point,  going 
down  the  river  in  Hoosuck  road.  I  was  toward  the  front,  and 
within  about  half  a  mile  I  overtook  John  Perry's  wife  ;  I  passed 
her.  M.  Demuy  traveling  apace.  I  spoke  with  her,  and  asked 
her  how  she  did  ?  She  told  me  that  her  strength  failed  her  in 
traveling  so  fast.     I  told  her  God  was  able  to  strengthen  her. 


*  His  name  is  variously  written  in  the  f  Pierre  de  Chapt  La  Corne.  He  was 

French  accounts,  as  De  Muy,  De  Muyes,  constantly    employed    till     the  fall     of 

Dumui,  etc. ;  he  was  a  lieutenant  in  much  Canada,    and    performed    many  exploits 

adlive  service.  ,  against  the  English.  .      , 


1746.]         Norton's  Redeemed  Captive. 


19 


In  him  she  must  put  her  trust,  and  I  hoped  she  was  ready  for 
whatever  God  had  to  call  her  to.  I  had  opportunity  to  say  no 
more.  We  went  about  four  miles  to  the  place  where  the  army 
encamped  the  night  before  they  came  upon  us.  Here  I  over 
took  neighbor  Perry,  which  surprised  me,  for  I  thought  he  had 
been  behind  me  with  the  French,  but  he  was  with  the  Indians. 
I  asked  him  after  his  health.  He  said  that  he  was  better  than 
he  had  been.  I  inquired  after  his  -.vife.  He  said  he  did  not 
know  where  she  was,  but  was  somewhere  with  the  Indians  ; 
which  surprised  me  very  much  ;  for  I  thought  till  then  she  was 
with  the  French. 

Here  we  sat  down  for  a  considerable  time.  My  heart  was 
filled  with  sorrow,  expecting  that  many  of  our  weak  and  feeble 
people  would  fall  by  the  merciless  hands  of  the  enemy.  And 
as  I  frequently  heard  the  [13]  savages  shouting  and  yelling, 
trembled,  concluding  that  they  then  murdered  some  of  our 
people.  And  this  was  my  only  comfort,  that  they  could  do 
nothing  against  us,  but  what  God  in  his  holy  providence  per- 
mitted them  ;  but  was  filled  with  admiration  when  I  saw  all 
the  prisoners  come  up  with  us,  and  John  Aldrich  carried  upon 
the  back  of  his  Indian  master.  We  set  out  aga'n,  and  had 
gone  but  a  little  way  before  we  came  up  with  Josiah  Reed, 
who  gave  out.  I  expedled  they  would  have  knocked  him  on 
the  head  and  killed  him,  but  an  Indian  carried  him  on  his  back. 
We  made  several  stops,  and  after  we  had  traveled  about  eight 
miles  we  made  a  considerable  stay,  where  we  refreshed  our- 
selves, and  I  had  an  opportunity  to  speak  to  several  of  the 
prisoners  ;  especially  John  Smeed,  and  his  wife,  who,  being 
near  her  time,  was  filled  with  admiration  at  the  goodness  of 
God  in  strengthening  her  to  travel  so  far. 

I  saw  John   Perry's  wife.      She  complained   that  she   was 


20 


Norton* s  Redeemed  Captive.         [  1 746. 


almost  ready  to  give  out.  She  complained  also  of  the  Indian 
that  she  went  with,  that  he  threatened  her.  I  talked  with  a 
French  officer,  and  he  said  that  she  need  not  fear,  for  he  would 
not  be  allowed  to  hurt  her.  Mons.  Demuy,  with  a  number  of 
men,  set  out  before  the  army,  so  I  took  my  leave  of  her,  fear- 
ing I  should  never  see  her  more.  After  this  Sergeant  Hawks 
went  to  the  general  and  represented  her  case  to  him.  So  he 
went  and  talked  to  the  Indians,  and  he  was  kind  to  her  after 
this.  After  we  had  traveled  round  the  fields,  I  thought  he  was 
about  to  leave  the  river,  which  increased  my  fears.  But  I 
found  out  the  reason  ;  for  they  only  went  to  look  some  build- 
ings to  plunder,  and  burn  them.  A  little  before  sunset  we 
arrived  at  Vandeverickes  place,  where  we  found  [14]  some  of 
the  army,  who  had  arrived  before  us,  but  most  of  them  were 
still  behind  ;  and  I  had  the  comfort  to  see  the  greatest  part  of 
the  prisoners  come  up  :  God  having  wonderfully  strengthened 
many  who  were  weak ;  the  French  carrying  the  women. 
There  were  some  few  that  tarried  behind  about  two  miles, 
where  Mrs.  Smeed  was  taken  in  travail :  And  some  of  the 
French  made  a  seat  for  her  to  sit  upon,  and  brought  her  to  the 
camp,  where,  about  ten  o'clock,  she  was  graciously  delivered  of 
a  daughter,  and  was  remarkably  well.  The  child  also  was 
well.  But  this  night  Josiah  Reed,  being  very  ill,  either  died  of 
his  illness,  or  else  was  killed  by  the  enemy  ;  which,  I  could 
never  certainly  know,  but  I  fear  he  was  murdered.* 

Friday,  22.  This  morning  I  baptised  John  Smeed's  child. 
He  called  its  name  CAPTIVITY.  The  French  then  made  a 
frame  like  a  bier,  and  laid  a  buck  skin  and  bear  skin  upon  it, 


*  It  might  not  have  been  perfeftly  clear  the  captives,  that  the  man  died  of  his 
to  Mr,  Norton  when  he  wrote  the  above,  malady.  No  captives  were  probably  ever 
but  it  was  made  clear  after  the  return  of    treated  better  under  similar  circumstances. 


1746.]         Norton's  Redeemed  Captive. 


21 


and  laid  Mrs.  Smecd,  with  her  infant,  thereon;  and  so  two 
men  at  a  time  carried  them.  They  also  carried  Moses  Scott's 
wife  and  two  children,  and  another  of  Smeed's  children.  The 
Indians  also  carried  in  their  canoes,  Br.  Simon  and  John  Aldrich 
and  Perry's  wife,  down  the  river  about  ten  miles. 

We  had  remarkable  smiles  of  Providence.  Our  men  that 
had  been  sick,  grew  better  and  recovered  strength.  The 
enemy  killed  some  cattle  which  they  found  in  the  meadow  ;  so 
that  we  had  plenty  of  fresh  provisions  and  broth,  which  was 
very  beneficial  to  the  sick.  I  then  expressed  a  concern  for 
the  feeble  people,  understanding  that  we  were  to  leave  the 
river,  i.  favel  through  the  wilderness  near  sixty  miles  ;  but 
Mons.  Demuy  told  me  I  need  not  fear,  for  the  general  had 
promised  those  Indians  a  reward  who  [15]  had  the  care  of  the 
feeble  persons,  if  they  would  be  kind  and  carry  them  through 
the  journey. 

This  night  I  visited  most  of  the  prisoners.  This  night, 
also,  died  two  Indians  of  their  wounds.  The  enemy  had  got 
four  horses. 

Saturday,  23.  This  morning  the  general  sent  off  an  offi- 
cer with  some  men  to  carry  news  to  Canada.  This  day  we 
left  the  river  and  traveled  in  the  wilderness,  in  something  of  a 
path,  and  good  traveling  for  the  wilderness,  something  east  of 
north,  about  fifteen  miles ;  the  French  still  carrying  Smeed's 
and  Scott's  wives  and  children  ;  the  Indians  finding  horses  for 
brothers  Simon  and  John  Aldrich.  Perry  being  released  from 
his  pack,  was  allowed  to  help  his  wife,  and  carry  her  when  she 
was  weary.  About  three  in  the  afternoon  they  were  alarmed 
by  discovering  the  tradls  of  a  scout  from  Saratoga.  This  put 
them  into  a  considerable  ruffle,  fearing  that  there  might  be  an 
army  after  them.     But  I  presumed  that  they  need  not  be  con- 


22 


Norton's  Redeemed  Captive.         [  1 746. 


cerned  about  it.  T'ne  body  of  the  army  lodged  between  two 
ponds,  but  part,  with  a  number  of  the  prisoners,  were  sent 
forward  about  two  miles,  till  they  crossed  Sarratago  river  ;  *  it 
is  there  twenty  rods  wide,  but  shallow  water.  This  night  also 
died  two  more  Indians  of  their  wounds. 

Lord's  day,  24.  This  day  we  set  out  in  the  morning  and 
came  to  Sarratago  river,  crossed  it,  and  came  to  our  company, 
which  had  been  before  us.  Here  we  came  to  a  rich  piece  of 
meadow  ground,  and  traveled  in  it  about  five  miles.  We  had 
good  traveling  this  day.  We  crossed  several  pieces  of  good 
meadow  land.  We  went  about  eighteen  [16]  miles.  John 
Perry's  wife  performed  this  day's  journey  without  help  from 
any.  Our  sick  and  feeble  persons  were  remarkably  preserved 
to-day  ;  for  about  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  there  fell  a 
very  heavy  shower  of  rain,  which  wet  us  through  all  our 
clothes.  Mrs.  Smeed  was  as  wet  as  any  of  us,  and  it  being 
the  third  day  after  her  delivery,  we  '-pre  concerned  about 
the  event ;  but  through  the  good  providence  of  God,  she  never 
perceived  any  harm  by  it,  nor  did  any  other  person  but  Miriam, 
the  wife  of  Moses  Scot,  who  hereby  catched  a  grievous  cold. 
This  night  we  lodged  in  the  meadow,  where  was  a  run  of 
water,  which  makes  a  part  of  Wood  Creek. 

Monday,  25.  This  morning  we  set  out  and  traveled  about 
eleven  miles.  We  had  something  rough  traveling  to-day. 
We  quickly  left  the  small  stream  we  lodged  by  at  our  right 
hand  to  the  east  of  us,  and,  traveling  a  few  miles  over  some  small 
hills  and  ledges,  came  to  a  stream  running  from  east  to  west,! 

*  This  was  doubtless  the  Hudson  river,  f  Hence  they  were  at  a  stream  which 

but  the  place  of  crossing  is  difficult  to  be  falls  into  Lake  George;  having  its  rise  in 

ascertained.     The  two  ponds  Ao  not  ap-  the  vicinity  of  Wood   Creek;  the   latter 

pear  on  any  maps  in  the  editor's  posses-  having  its   rise  in   Kingsbury,   near  the 

sion.  Hudson.     The    Indian    name    of    Lake 


1746.]         Norton's  Redeemed  Captive. 


23 


about  two  or  three  rods  in  width,  and  about  two  feet  deep. 
We  crossed  it,  our  general  course  being  north.  We  traveled 
abou^  iwo  or  three  miles  farther  and  came  to  a  stream  running 
from  south-west  to  north-east,  about  six  rods  in  width,  which 
we  crossed.  And  this  stream  (which  we  suppose  to  be  Wood 
Creek*),  according  to  the  best  of  my  remembrance,  and 
according  to  the  short  minute  that  I  made  of  this  day's  travel, 
we  left  at  our  right  hand  to  the  east  of  us  ;  but  Sergeant  Hawks 
thinks  I  am  mistaken,  and  that  we  crossed  it  again,  and  left  it 
at  the  left  hand,  west  of  us.  I  won't  be  certain,  but  I  cannot 
persuade  myself  that  [17]  I  am  mistaken. f  The  French  and 
Indians  helping  our  feeble  people,  we  all  arrived  well  at  our 
camp,  which  was  by  a  couple  of  ponds.  Some  few  who  were 
before  us  went  to  the  drowned  land.| 

Tuesday,  26.  This  day  we  took  our  journey.  Our 
course  in  the  morning  something  west  of  north.  In  traveling 
about  three  or  four  miles  we  came  to  a  mountain,  a  steep 
ascent,  about  eighty  or  one  hundred  rods,  but  not  rocky.  After 
we  passed  this  mountain,  our  course  was  about  west,  five  or  six 
miles,  till  we  came  to  the  drowned  lands.  When  we  came  to 
the  canoes,  the  stream  ran  from  north-east  to  south-west. § 
We  embarked  about  two  o'clock  ;  the  stream  quickly  turned 


George  is  Caniad-eri-oity  signifying  the 
tail  of  the  lake.  It  is  the  Lac  du  Sacre- 
ment  of  the  French.  Wood  Creeic  the 
Indians  called  Ossa-vages. 

*  No  doubt  that  branch  of  Wood 
Creek  which  falls  into  the  main  stream 
at  what  is  since  Fort  Anne  —  the  summit 
level  of  the  Champlain  canal. 

f  Their  difficulty  seems  to  have  been 
in  mistaking  a  branch  for  the  real  Wood 


Creek. 

J  These  extend  some  three  miles  along 
South  River  on  the  east  side,  beginning 
near  Lake  Champlain.  The  Indians  call 
them  Ond-cri-ifue-gon,  or  the  conflux  of 
waters.  Bassier^s  Map,  drawn  by  order  of 
Gen.  Amherst,  1762. 

^  East  Creek  corresponds  to  this ;  now 
called  Pawlet  river,  I  suppose,  which  has 
its  rise  in  what  is  Dorset,  Vermont. 


24 


Norton' s  Redeemed  Captive.         [1746. 


and  ran  to  the  north.     We  sailed  about  eighteen  or  twenty 
miles  that  night,  and  encamped  on  the  east  side  of  the  water. 

Wednesday,  23.  [27th.]  We  embarked  about  nine  o'clock, 
and  sailed  to  Crown  Point,*  something  better  than  twenty 
miles.  Some  of  the  army  went  in  the  night  before,  and  some 
before  the  body  of  the  army.  The  sails  were  pulled  down, 
and  the  canoes  brought  up  abreast,  and  passed  by  the  fort  over 
to  the  north-east  point,  saluting  the  fort  with  three  volleys,  as 
we  passed  by  it.  The  fort  returning  the  salute  by  the  dis- 
charge of  the  cannon.  This  was  about  twelve  o'clock.  Here 
we  tarried  till  the  4th  of  September.  I  lodged  in  an  house  on 
the  north-east  point.  We  all  arrived  bettor  in  health  than  when 
we  were  first  taken. 

Thursday,  28.  This  day  I  was  invited  by  Monsieur 
Demuy  to  go  over  and  see  the  fort,  which  I  did.  It  is  some- 
thing an  irregular  form,  having  five  sides  [18]  to  it ;  the  ram- 
parts twenty  feet  thick,  the  breast  work  two  feet  and  half;  the 
whole  about  twenty  feet  high.  There  were  twenty-one  or 
twenty-two  guns  upon  the  wall ;  some  four  and  six  pounders, 
and  there  may  be  some  as  large  as  nine  pounders.  The  citadel 
an  octagon  built,  three  stories  high,  fifty  or  sixty  feet  diameter, 
built  with  stone  laid  in  lime,  the  wall  six  or  seven  feet  thick, 
arched  over  the  second  and  third  stories  for  bomb  proof.  In 
the  chambers  nine  or  ten  guns ;  some  of  them  may  be  nine 
pounders,  and  I  believe  none  less  than  six,  and  near  twenty 
patararoes.f     But  as  my  time  was  short  I  cannot  be  very  par- 

*  The    French    built  a   fort  there    in         f  How  much  of  a  ^«n  a /jo^drarof  was, 

1721,  which  they  n.imed  Fort  St.  Frederic,  it  would  have  been  well  if  the  author  had 

•  The  Indians  gave  that  spot  the  name  of  informed    us,  as    we    may    travel    from 

Tek-ya-dough-nigan.Tee,    which    signifies  Blount  to  Webster   without  finding  out. 

two  points  opposite  to  each  other.   Bas-  Perhaps  derived  from  the  Spanish /i«ar^o, 

j»>r,  ibidem.  or,  fataremo. 


i 


1746']         Nortoris  Redeemed  Captive. 


25 


ticular.  They  have  stores  of  small  arms,  as  blunderbusses, 
pistols  and  muskets.     This  night  proved  very  cold  and  stormy. 

Friday,  29.  This  morning  Smeed's  and  Scot's  families 
were  brought  out  of  their  tents  into  the  house,  that  they  might 
be  more  comfortable.  It  rained  and  was  very  cold  all  the  day, 
and  at  night  the  wind  was  very  high. 

Saturday  the  30th  was  something  warmer. 

Lord's  day,  31.  We  had  the  liberty  of  worshiping  God 
together  in  a  room  by  ourselves.  This  day,  about  twelve 
o'clock,  the  enemy  who  v/ent  off  from  us  from  Hoosuck,  the 
morning  after  we  were  taken,  returned,  and  brought  in  six 
scalps,  viz,  Samuel  Allen,  Eleazer  Hawks,  Jun.,  two  Amsdels, 
all  of  Deerfield ;  Adonijah  Gillet  of  Colchester,  Constant  Bliss 
of  Hebron,  and  one  captive,  viz.,  Samuel  Allen,  son  to  him 
who  was  killed.  He  was  taken  with  his  father  and  Ealeazer 
Hawks.  The  Amsdells  and  Gillet  were  killed  in  Deerfield 
South  Meadow,  August  25th.  The  Indians  also  acknowledged 
they  lost  one  man  there.*  This  lad  [19]  told  us  they  had  not 
then  heard  in  Deerfield  of  their  taking  fort  Massachusetts.  A 
young  Hatacook  f  Indian  was  his  master,  and  carried  him  to 
St.  Francois. 

Monday,  Sept.  i.  Tuesday,  2.  Wednesday,  3.  We 
tarried  still  at  Crown  Point.  The  weather  was  something 
lowry,  but  warm.  I  lived  with  the  general  and  about  half  a 
dozen  more  officers,  who  lodged  in  the  same  house.  Our  diet 
was  very  good,  it  being  chiefly  fresh  meat  and  broth,  which  was 
a  great  benefit  to  me.  We  had  also  plenty  of  Bourdcaux  wine, 
which  being  of  an  astringent  nature,  was  a  great  kindness  to 
me  (having  at  that  time  something  of  the  griping  and  bloody 

*  See  History  of  the   Five  Tears  War,  f  Perhaps    a    misprint    for    Scattacook, 

pp.  125,  126.  or  Schaghticoke. 


26 


Norton's  Redeemed  Captive.  [  1 746. 


flux).  While  we  lay  here,  we  wrote  a  letter  to  the  Hon.  John 
Stoddard,  Esq.,  at  Northampton,  to  give  him  a  particular 
account  of  our  fight  and  surrender ;  as  also  some  other  private 
letters ;  the  French  gentlemen  giving  us  encouragement  that 
they  would  send  them  down  by  some  of  their  scouts  to  some 
part  of  our  frontiers,  and  leave  them  so  that  they  should  be 
found ;  but  I  have  not  heard  of  them  since,  and  conclude  that 
they  destroyed  them.* 

Thursday,  4.  We  embarked  for  Canada  about  ten  o'clock, 
and  sailed  about  fifteen  miles.  Our  course,  I  judged  to  be 
north,  about  10°  east,  which  I  take  to  be  the  general  course 
from  Crown  Point  to  Champlain.  Towards  night  we  turned 
into  a  cove,  the  east  side  of  the  lake,  and  encamped,  having 
the  hnd  upon  the  south-west,  south  and  east  of  us.  Here  we 
were  to  wait  for  General  De  Vaudriule,  whom  we  left  at  Crown 
Point,  and  expedled  would  come  to  us  this  night  or  in  the  morn- 
ing; but  the  night  proved  very  stormy. 

[20]  Friday,  5.  The  wind  blowing  hard  from  the  north, 
and  some  rain,  we  lay  by  to-day. 

Saturday,  6.  About  nine  o'clock  this  morning  the  general 
came  up  with  us  ;  then  we  embarked  and  sailed  with  a  pretty 
good  wind  the  bigger  part  of  the  day.  Towards  night  we  saw 
a  few  houses  on  the  west  side  of  the  lake,  but  I  suppose  that 
they  were  deserted.  We  sailed  at  least  three  score  miles  this 
day.  We  came  to  where  the  lake  was  but  a  few  miles  in  width, 
and  encamped  on  the  east  shore,  where  there  was  a  windmill 
and  a  few  houses,  but  were  all  deserted. f 


*  One  certainly  found  its  way  to  the  ■)•  No  doubt  the  place  afterwards  called 
English,  and  was  seen  by  Deacon  Wright.  Windmill  Point  by  the  English,  and  not 
See  N.E.  Hist,  and  Gen.  Reg.,  II,  210.     far    from    the    mouth    of    Onion    river. 


1746.  J  Norton's  Redeemed  Capthe. 


27 


Lord's  day,  7.  We  rose  early  and  set  sail  as  soon  as  it  was 
fair  day-light,  having  a  good  wind,  but  the  wind  fell  about  eight 
o'clock,  that  they  were  obliged  to  ply  their  paddles.  When  we 
came  to  the  end  of  the  lake,  about  eleven  o'clock,  and  were 
entering  Champlain  *  river,  we  met  a  boat  with  three  men  in  it, 
who  brought  a  packet  of  letters  for  the  officers  in  the  army. 
They  gave  one  to  Mons.  Demuy.  After  reading  the  letter  he 
told  me  the  news  he  had  by  them,  viz.,  that  there  were  a  number 
of  ships  arrived  from  France  to  Quebec,  who  had  brought  them 
plenty  of  stores  ;  that  they  came  in  company  with  a  fleet  of 
forty  large  men  of  war  from  the  Brest  and  Toulon  squadron  ; 
and  gave  the  following  account ;  that  the  English  fleet  having 
blocked  up  the  Brest  squadron  in  the  harbor,  the  admiral  of  the 
Brest  squadron  wrote  to  the  admiral  of  the  Toulon  and  Roch- 
fort  squadrons  to  come  to  his  assistance  ;  who,  coming  on  the 
back  of  the  English  fleet,  and  the  Brest  squadron  issuing  out  at 
the  same  time  against  them,  there  ensued  a  terrible  [21]  fight,  in 
which  the  P'rcnch  prevailed,  and  sunk  one-half  of  the  English 
ships,  and  put  the  rest  to  flight,  and  then  they  sailed  for  North 
America;!  that   the   King   sent   with   them   twelve    merchant 


*  Chambly  or  Chamhlec  river  is  un- 
doubtedly meant ;  called  also  Richelieu, 
and  Sorcl,  by  the  French.  Further  on 
the  same  error  is  noted,  where  the  author 
speaks  of  Champlain  fort.  He  did  not 
distinguish  between  Champlain  and  Cham- 
hlec. 

■f  There  appears  to  have  been  abso- 
lutely nothing  out  of  which  this  great 
fabrication  was  made.  It  refers  to  the 
mighty  fleet  under  the  Due  D'Anville, 
which  was  then  in  mid  ocean,  it  having 
left  Brest  on  the  22d  of  June  (1746), 
but  did  not  appear  on  the  New  England 


coast  until  the  beginning  of  September  ; 
and  then  in  too  shattered  a  condition  to 
be  feared.  His  fleet  of  men  of  war  and 
transports  amounted  to  about  ninety- 
seven  sail ;  fourteen  were  ships  of  war, 
with  three  thousand  five  hundred  troops. 
His  fleet  was  watched  by  the  English, 
and  some  of  his  ships  taken.  Capt.  Leke 
took  one  of  sixty-four  guns;  Saumarez 
one  of  sixty-four;  Boscawen  one  of  fifty, 
and  so  forth.  The  other  French  squad- 
ron referred  to  was  probably  that  of  M. 
De  Tourmell.  Saumarez  was  with  Anson 
in  his  late  voyage  round  the  world. 


Norton's  Redeemed  Captive.         [  1 746. 

ships  with  stores  of  ammunition,  clothing,  wine,  and  brandy, 
and  a  thousand  soldiers  to  strengthen  Canada  ;  that  the  men  of 
war  were  divided  into  two  fleets,  one  of  which  did  now  block 
up  Louisbourg,  and  were  fighting  against  it,  and  the  other  part 
of  the  fleet  was  gone  for  Boston.  He  said  their  King  was  very 
angry  with  New  England  for  their  taking  Cape  Breton  ;  and  it 
was  probable  he  would  bring  them  into  subje<9:ion.  He  told  me 
also  that  they  brought  news  that  Edward  Stuart,  the  Pretender's 
youngest  son,  was  in  the  North  of  England,  and  had  a  powerful 
army  ;  and  that  great  numbers  of  English  resorted  to  him  daily,* 
and  it  was  probable  he  would  prevail  to  dethrone  King  George. 
I  told  him  that,  as  for  this  and  the  fight  at  sea,  I  had  good 
reason  to  think  they  were  false,  for  I  had  news  from  England 
since  the  Brest  fleet  had  sailed  out,  and  there  was  no  account  of 
these  things,  but  the  contrary.  He  told  me  also  that  Prince 
William,  the  Duke  of  Cumberland,!  was  killed  in  battle  at 
Culloden-Muir,  and  that  he  was  the  only  person  of  the  House 
of  Hanover  which  the  English  nation  loved  ;  so  that  although 
the  King's  army  got  the  vidtory,  yet  it  was  a  loss  to  his  interest  j 
for  the  Duke  being  dead,  the  English  nation  would  revolt  from 
the  House  of  Hanover,  being  weary  of  it,  and  turn  to  the 
House  of  Stuart.  But  I  told  him  that  the  Duke  of  Cumber- 
land was  yet  alive,  and  as  he  had  been  a  scourge  and  terror  to 
the  King's  enemies,  so  we  had  reason  to  hope  he  would  still  be. 
He  grew  warm  in  his  debate,  called  the  King  [22]  a  usurper, 
the  nation  in  bringing  of  him  in,  Cromwell's  fadlion,  and  many 

*  This,  though  guess-work,  was  much         f  William  Augustus,  brother  of  George 

nearer  the  real  state  of  the  case  than  the  II.     He  died  sine  prole,  1765.     He  put 

other  part  of  the  story.     They  probably  down  the  Pretender,  but  showed  himself 

had  heard  of  the  defeats  of  the  King's  quite  as  much  of  a   barbarian    as  those 

men   at   Falkirk    Moor,    Inverness,   etc.  whom  he  conquered. 


i 


1746.]         Norton* s  Redeemed  Captive. 


29 


other  things,  upon  which  we  had  a  considerable  debate,  until  he 
grew  more  mild  and  began  to  flatter  ;  and  told  me  what  an 
amiable  man  the  Pretender  was,  and  what  good  times  it  would 
be  if  he  came  to  the  throne  of  England ;  giving  free  liberty  of 
conscience  to  all  his  subjedts  ;  and  he  did  not  doubt  but  that 
they  would  return  to  the  church  of  Rome,  which  was  the  true 
church.  Our  children,  he  believed,  would  come  to  a  good 
union  in  religion. 

We  went  on  shore  at  the  first  house,  about  three  miles  above 
the  fort,*  where  they  were  called  together,  and  said  their 
prayers ;  and  as  soon  as  they  had  done,  Mons.  Dumuy  read  his 
letter.  Upon  which  they  all  shouted,  crying,  Vive  le  Roy  : 
q.  d.  Let  the  King  live.  Upon  which  several  of  the  young 
men  came  laughing  to  me,  and  by  signs  endeavored  to  inform 
me  what  the  news  was.  I  concluded  that  these  fine  tales  were 
framed  and  sent  to  meet  the  army,  in  order  to  keep  up  the 
courage  of  the  common  people  and  of  the  Indians,  who  seemed 
to  repent  of  their  engaging  in  the  war,  and  to  grow  very  weary 
of  it.  Though  I  found  afterwards  that  the  Brest  fleet  was 
actually  come  over,  with  a  design  against  New  England. 

From  thence  we  traveled  down  to  Champlain,t  where  the 
gentlemen  set  up  their  tents,  and  we  had  great  numbers  to  visit 
us  of  both  sexes.  There  I  expelled  we  should  have  tarried 
that  night.  But  a  little  before  the  sun  setting,  M.  Dumuy 
came  and  ordered  his  canoe's  company  to  embarlc,  and  go  down 
the  river ;  and  told  me  I  must  go  with  them,  and  whatever  I 
stood  in  need  of,  his  people  would  [23]  give  me :  And  indeed 
I  wanted  nothing  ;  having  good  fresh  provisions  and  plenty  of 
wine  to  drink ;    but  was   something  surprised  at   this  sudden 

*  Chamblee,  or  perhaps  more  probable,         f  Chamblee.     The  author  perhaps  had 
Fort  St.  John,  no  maps  to  refer  to. 

5 


^p 


30 


Norton's  Redeemed  Captive,         [  1 746. 


remove,  and  could  never  know  the  reason  of  it,  unless  it  was 
this,  viz,  some  of  the  French  and  Indians  going  out  from 
Crown  Point,  while  I  lay  there,  fell  on  a  number  of  our  men 
near  Saratago  ;  had  killed  some  and  taken  some  prisoners,  and 
were  come  to  Champlain  with  one  of  them  ;  and  they  wanted 
to  get  what  news  from  him  they  could,  and  so  chose  to  get  me 
out  of  the  way,  and  some  others,  lest  we  might  give  him  a  cau- 
tion ;  and  he  really  wanted  a  caution,  for  he  told  them  that 
which  he  had  better  have  kept  to  himself,  viz,  the  miserable 
circumstances  of  Sarrtago  fort.* 

We  sailed  down  the  river  about  three  miles,  and  lodged  at 
a  poor  man's  house,  who,  according  to  his  ability,  was  courteous 
to  me.  I  lodged  with  him  in  his  own  bed,  which  was  the  first 
bed  I  had  lodged  in  since  my  captivity  ;  and  though  it  was  a 
hard  bed,  and  destitute  of  linnen,  yet  it  was  very  comfortable 
to  me. 

Monday,  8.  This  morning  there  came  an  Englishman  to 
see  me  ;  his  name  Littlefield.  He  was  taken  a  lad  from  Pis- 
cataqua,  and  so  continued  with  the  French  and  lived,  having  a 
family  at  Champlain. f  We  had  a  considerable  discourse 
together.  About  eight  o'clock  we  embarked ;  some  canoes 
passing  down  the  river  on  the  opposite  side.  We  sailed  over 
the  river  and  met  with  Mons.  Dumuy  and  took  him  in.  We 
sailed  down  the  river  about  fifteen  miles  and  dined  with  a  priest. 
The  country  on  Champlain  |  river  appeared  very  poor ;  it  being 
cold  sour  land.  It  is  inhabited  on  each  side,  but  the  buildings 
are  [24]  generally  but  poor  huts.     This  day  Mons.   Dumuy 


*  This  affair  is  mentioned  in  the  Par-  were  great  sufferers  in  the  earlier  Indian 

ticular   History  of  the   Five    Years  War,  wars.     See  Penhalloiv,  Indian  Wars,  pp. 

page  127.  44,  47.  71- 

■j-  Persons  of  the  name  of  Littlefield  %  Chamblee. 


1749']         Norton* s  Redeemed  Captive. 


V 


tells  me  another  piece  of  news,  viz,  *  that  one  of  their  men  of 
war  had  taken  an  English  man  of  war  near  Louisbourg,  after 
a  whole  day's  engagement  ;  that  the  blood  was  midleg  deep 
upon  the  Englishmen's  deck  when  he  surrendered.'  I  told  him 
they  fought  courageously.  He  said,  '  True,  but  they  were 
taken  notwithstanding.'  He  said  '  they  had  taken  three  hun- 
dred and  twenty  men  out  of  her,  who  were  coming  up  to  Que- 
bec, where  I  should  meet  them.'  This  was  nothing  but  the 
Albany  sloop,  one  of  the  men  of  war's  tenders,  which  Governor 
Knowles  sent  with  a  packet  from  Louisbourg  for  Boston. 
There  were  but  seventy  men  in  her.  She  was  taken  by  a 
French  man  of  war  near  Jebu<Sla.  About  two  o'clock  it  began 
to  rain,  and  continued  a  cold  rain  all  the  rest  of  the  day.  We 
sailed  down  the  river  between  thirty  and  forty  miles,  and  then 
carried  over  our  canoes  and  packs  across  the  land  to  St.  Law- 
rence, which  was  about  three  miles  -,  and  we  came  to  it  above 
Lozel,*  and  there  we  lodged  that  night,  in  a  French  house. 

Tuesday,  9.  This  morning  being  something  lowery,  we 
did  not  set  out  very  early.  The  wind  was  northeasterly  and 
pretty  high.  About  nine  o'clock  we  set  sail  up  the  river  for 
Mountreal.  It  was  good  sailing.  We  dined  at  a  French 
gentleman's  house  on  the  eastern  shore.  There  was  an  Irish 
dodtor  came  and  dined  with  us  —  his  name  O'Sullivan.  He 
pretended  a  great  deal  of  respe6t  for  me,  and  compassion 
towards  all  the  prisoners  ;  a  great  deal  of  friendship  to  the 
English  nation,  and  especially  for  the  House  of  Hanover  ;  and 
he  inquired  after  the  state  of  Scotland,  and  pretended  to  rejoice 
that  the  Duke  of  [25]  Cumberland  had  got  such  a  victory  over 
the  Pretender  and  the  rebels.  But  I  presently  found  he  grew 
weary  in  hearing  the  particulars  ;  and  therefore  to  mortify  him 

*  Sorrel  is  doubtless  the  place  meant.     The  outlet  of  Lake  Champlain. 


32 


Norton* s  Redeemed  Captive.         [1746. 


the  more,  I  told  him  all  that  I  could ;  *  then  we  set  sail  and 
went  within  about  five  miles  of  Mount  Real.  The  weather  was 
something  tedious,  and  it  rained  in  the  afternoon. 

Wednesday,  lo.  This  morning  it  rained  very  hard  till  near 
ten  o'clock,  about  which  time  the  general  ^  A  some  others 
passed  by  us,  and  we  embarked  diredtly  upon  it,  and  arrived  at 
Mount-Real  about  twelve  o'clock. 

Mons.  Demuy  took  me  to  the  Governors.  He  said  but  little 
to  me.  He  only  told  me,  that  for  the  time  I  tarried  at  Mount- 
Real,  I  should  keep  at  Mons.  Demuy's,  but  that  after  a  few 
days  he  must  send  me  with  the  rest  of  the  prisoners,  to  Quebec. 
I  went  with  Mons.  Demuy,  and  was  courteously  entertained 
by  him  for  the  time  I  tarried  at  Mount-Real.  In  the  afternoon 
came  an  Englishwoman  to  visit  me.  She  was,  I  judged,  between 
sixty  and  seventy  years  of  age.  She  was  taken  when  a  child 
from  Merrimack-River.  Her  name  Hannah  Rie.  She  had 
been  married  to  a  Frenchman,  by  whom  she  had  four  children, 
three  sons  and  one  daughter.  Her  daughter  was  mariied  and 
had  several  children,  and  came  to  see  me.  I  saw  also  one  of 
her  sons.  She  had  been  a  widow  about  fourteen  years,  but 
was  under  very  comfortable  circumstances.  There  was  another 
Englishwoman  came  to  see  me,  who  was  taken  from  the  east- 
ward, but  I  have  forgot  both  her  name  and  place  where  she 
was  taken  from. 

Friday  [Thursday],  ii.  This  day  I  tarried  at  Mons. 
Demuy's,  where  the  Major  of  the  town  visited  me.  He  told 
[26]  me  that  he  married  an  Englishwoman  whose  name  was 
Storer.f     She  was  taken  when  a  child  by  Indians,  from  Pisca- 

*  The  author  appears  to  have  suspedted  f  Mention   was  often  made  of  child- 

Dr.  O'SuUivan's  sincerity  with   no  good  ren    being    carried    off  by    the    Indians, 

reason,  judging  from  anything  which  he  without  any  family  being   named;  as  in 

tells  us.  this  case:     "1710,   This  summer,   four 


1746.]         Norton* s  Redeemed  Captive. 


2>1> 


taqua  ;  that  one  of  his  sons  was  down  at  the  taking  of  us. 
Mrs.  St.  La  Germine,  one  of  his  wife's  cousins,  who  was  also 
taken  with  her,  came  with  the  major,  and  was  able  to  discourse 
in  the  English  tongue.  She  told  me  that  the  Rev.  Mr.  Storer* 
of  Watertown  was  her  brother,  and  that  she  wanted  to  hear 
from  her  friends  ;  but  I  was  not  acquainted  with  any  of  them. 

Friday,  12.  This  day,  about  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon, 
we  embarked  in  boats,  and  set  sail  for  Quebec,  and  sailed  down 
the  river  about  five  leagues.  There  were  all  that  were  taken 
with  me  but  six  men  who  were  yet  with  the  Indians,  and  John 
Perry's  wife,  who  was  at  the  Three-Rivers.  There  were  also 
four  Dutch  with  us,  who  were  taken  near  Sarratago.  We 
lodged  in  a  house  upon  the  north-west  side  of  the  St.  Law- 
rence's river. 

Saturday,  13.  This  day  we  had  a  fair  wind,  and  sailed 
down  the  river  twenty-five  leagues,  when  we  arrived  at  the 
Three  Rivers.  We  went  into  an  inn.  The  general  and  some 
others  of  the  gentlemen  which  went  down  with  us,  presently 
went  out  to  the  Governors,  leaving  only  their  soldiers  to  guard 
us.  And  after  a  little  time  the  Governor  sent  for  Sergeant 
Hawks  and  me  to  come  and  sup  with  him.  Accordingly  we 
went,  and  were  courteously  and  sumptuously  entertained  by 
him  ;  and  while  we  sat  at  supper  the  gentlemen  fell  into  dis- 
course about  the  wars,  and  about  the  wounds  they  had  received. 
The  general's  wound  was  discoursed  upon,  and  the  Governor 
desired  Sergeant  Hawks  to  show  his  scars,  which  he  did.     The 

children  are  taken  at  Exeter  while  at  play."  Discourses,  12.     He  died  Nov.  27,  1774, 

Belknap  (Farmer's  editionj,  178.  x.  72.   ^.  B.   Fuller's  Record.      He  was 

*  The  Rev.  Seth  Storer  was  ordained  born   in   Saco,    the    son  of  Col.   Joseph 

at  W.,  22  July,  1724.  Francis,  jS.    The  Stlortr.  Allen.    Benjamin  Storer  was  killed 

author  speaks  of  notes  in  Mr.  Storer's  old  at   Wells,   April    12,    1677.     Hubbard. 

Almanacs,  which    he    had    seen.     Three  Indian  Wars,  II,  230. 


A 


34 


Norton's  Redeemed  Captive.         \  1 746. 


Govcr[27]nor  then  informed  us  of  a  fight  he  had  been  in  at 
sea  in  former  wars,  in  which  he  received  fifteen  wounds,  and 
he  shewed  us  several  scars.  This  I  thought  was  a  very 
remarkable  thing,  that  he  should  receive  so  many  wounds,  and 
yet  have  his  life  spared.  This  night  John  Perry's  wife  was 
also  brought  to  us,  and  added  to  our  number. 

Lord's  day,  14.  We  set  sail,  but  received  little  help  from 
the  wind.  The  soldiers  were  obliged  to  row  the  greatest  part 
of  the  day  ;  but  at  night,  the  tide  favoring  of  us,  we  sailed  till 
two  or  three  o'clock  in  the  morning.  We  sailed  in  the  day 
and  night  twenty-three  leagues.  Then  we  went  on  shore  the 
north-west  side  of  the  river,  and  lodged  at  a  house  in  a  small 
village. 

Monday,  15.  This  day  we  sailed  seven  leagues  and  came 
to  Quebec.  We  were  landed  at  the  east  point  of  the  town, 
where  St.  Lawrence  meets  with  Loretto,*  and  were  conducted 
up  by  a  number  of  soldiers  through  the  lower  town  to  the 
Governor  General's,!  where  I  was  taken  into  his  private  room, 
and  he  desired  me  to  tell  him  what  news  we  had  in  New  Eng- 
land. I  told  him  of  considerable  news  we  had  from  Europe 
concerning  the  Duke  of  Cumberland's  vi»ftory  over  the  rebels. 
He  seemed  to  have  a  great  mind  to  persuade  me  that  the  Duke 
was  killed,  but  I  told  him  he  was  alive  and  well.  I  told  him 
of  several  other  pieces  of  news,  but  none  very  good  for  the 
French.  He  told  me  he  had  hca,  d  that  we  designed  an  expe- 
dition against  Canada.     He  .^skci  what  there  was  in  it.     I  told 


*  A  small  village  of  Christian  Indians,  converts  here,  resembling  that  in  the 
three  leagues  north-east  of  Quebec.  It  famous  Italian  sandluary.  These  con- 
has  its  name  from  a  chapel  built  accord-  verts  are  Hurons.  Morse. 
ing  to  the  model  of  the  Santa  Casa  at  f  Roland  Michel  Barrin,  Count  de  la 
Loretto  in  Italy ;  from  which  an  image  Galissoniere  was  at  this  time  Governor  of 
of  the  Holy  Virgin  has  been  sent  to  the  New  France. 


91 


«»  / 


f  »  •  «  / 


/*   fit 


f/'c        ^A  ,r/..//k/^ 


--;, 


r« 


.  t.yxx~ 


^L-AjtA^*^'r  /f    ^' 


la 


tfl/Ti^e  t^i^l^^-lX***^ 


UyJt_      f^  ^ 


d^: 


*-<• 


<  *«.^  *\^ 


f)l 


I74^^vl         Norton's  Redeemed  Captive. 


35 


him  that  I  lived  at  a  great  distance  from  Boston,  and  could  say 
but  little  about  it.  I  had  heard  that  his  Majesty  had  sent  over 
to  some  of  the  governors  in  America,  that  he  had  thoughts  of 
an  ex[28]pedition  atiainst  Canada,  and  would  have  them  in 
readiness  to  assist  him,  in  case  he  should  send  a  fleet  over.  He 
inquired  what  it  was  that  had  put  it  by.  Something,  he  said, 
was  the  matter.  I  told  him  I  could  not  tell  ;  so  he  seemed  to 
be  pretty  easy. 

After  this  I  was  conducted  to  the  Lord  Intendants,  who 
inquired  also  after  news,  both  of  me  and  Sergeant  Hawks  ; 
after  which  he  gave  us  a  glass  of  wine  ;  then  we  were  con- 
duced to  the  prisoner's  house,  which  is  a  guard-house  standing 
by  a  battery  towards  the  south-west  end  of  the  town,  about 
one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  in  length,  and  twenty  in  width,  and 
two  stories  high  ;  and  we  made  to  the  number  of  one  hundred 
and  five  prisoners.  Here  we  had  the  free  liberty  of  the  exer- 
cise of  our  religion  together,  which  was  matter  of  comfort  to 
us  in  our  afflidlion.  Sergeant  Hawks  and  myself  were  put  into 
the  Captain's  room,  where  we  found  three  English  masters  of 
vessels,  viz,  Mr,  William  Chapman  of  Maryland,  Mr.  James 
Southerland  *  of  Cape  Cod,  and  Capt.  William  Potef  of  Casco 
Bay,  who  had  all  been  prisoners  near  sixteen  months. 

Tuesday,  i6.  This  day  there  came  some  gentlemen  to 
see  me,  among  whom  was  Mr.  Joseph  Portois,  who  under- 
stands the  English  tongue,  and  Mr.  Pais,  who,  Mr.  Portois  told 
me,  was  his  kinsman,  and  that  he  was  a  protestant,  and  came 


*  The  name  of  Southerland  or  Suther- 
land is  of  rare  occurrence  in  New  Eng- 
land records.  It  occurs  but  twice  in  the 
twenty-three  volumes  of  the  New  Eng. 
Hist,  and  Gen.  Register,  and  then  with 
no  reference  to  a  Cape  Cod  residence. 


j-  He  belonged  to  Portland  ;  went  there 
from  Marblehead  ;  had  seven  sons  ;  built 
the  two  story  house  near  Woodford's 
Corner  on  the  old  road  from  Portland. 
See  Willis,  Portland,  637,  where  other 
interesting  particulars  may  be  found. 


36 


Norton's  Redeemed  Captive.         [  1 746. 


on  purpose  to  see  me,  and  to  shew  me  a  kindness.  He  gave 
me  twenty-four  livres  in  cash.  From  this  time  to  the  23d, 
there  was  nothing  remarkable  happened,  only  this  :  —  that  the 
Jesuits  and  some  unknown  gentlemen,  understanding  I  was 
short  on  it  for  clothing,  sent  me  several  shirts,  a  good  winter 
coat,  some  caps,  a  pair  of  stockings,  and  a  few  handkerchiefs, 
which  were  very  acceptable. 

[29]  Tuesday,  23.  Capt.  William  Pote  was  taken  ill  with 
the  fever  and  flux.  Jacob  Reed  was  also  taken  with  the  same. 
This  day  came  into  prison  two  of  our  men  who  had  been  with 
the  Indians,  viz,  David  Warren,  and  Phinehas  Forbush,  who 
informed  that  John  Aldrich  was  in  the  hospital  at  Mount-Real. 
They  informed  us,  also,  concerning  some  other  prisoners  who 
were  taken  from  New  England,  and  with  the  Indians. 

Wednesday,  24.  There  came  unto  prison  forty-three  new 
prisoners,  who  were  taken  at  sea  by  a  couple  of  French  men  of 
war.  Among  whom  was  Mr.  William  Lambert,  master  of  the 
Billinder,*  one  of  the  men  of  war's  tenders,  who  was  taken 
near  Jebudla,  as  she  was  going  from  Louisbourg  to  Boston,  and 
Zephaniah  Pinkham,  master  of  a  whaling  sloop  from  Nan- 
tucket ;  and  John  Phillips,  master  of  a  fishing  schooner  from 
Marblehead. 

Thursday  and  Friday,  25,  26.  There  came  in  about  seventy- 
four  prisoners,  all  taken  at  sea  by  the  aforesaid  men  of  war ; 
among  whom  were  several  masters  of  vessels.  This  day  f 
thv  e  also  came  in  Jacob  Shepherd,  who  was  taken  with  me, 
and  had  been  with  the  Indians,  and  one  widow  Briant,  taken 
the  spring  before,  near  Casco  Bay.     There  was  nothing  further 


*  Properly  Bylander.  A  coasting  ves- 
sel, so  named  as  expressive  of  its  along- 
shore use.  I  do  not  know  why  it  is  not 
in  the  didionaries. 


f  0£lober  i,  Jacob  Shepard,  of  West- 
borough,  taken  at  Hoosuck,  was  brought 
to  prison.  Odober  3,  Jonathan  Bather- 
ick  was  brought  to  prison.  How,  19. 


1 746']         Norton  s  Redeemed  Captive. 


37 


remarkable   in   this   month ;    so   that  we  were   by  this   time 
increased  to  the  number  of  two  hundred  and  twenty-six. 

Lord's  day,  October  5.  There  came  in  seventeen  prison- 
ers, viz,  three  of  our  men.  Nathaniel  Hitchcock,  Stephen  Scot, 
and  John  Aldrich  \  two  taken  by  Indians  at  the  Eastward,  viz, 
Richard  Stubs,*  and  Pike  Gordon ;  and  twelve  from  the  Bay 
Verde. 

Lord's  day,  12.  There  came  twenty-four  men  taken  at 
sea  by  the  Lazora  and  Le  Castore  men  of  war. 

[30]  Wednesday,  22.  I  sent  a  petition  to  his  lordship  the 
General  of  Canada  or  New  France,  to  permit  me  to  go  home 
to  New  England,  upon  a  parole  of  honor,  setting  me  a  suitable 
time,  and  I  would  return  again  to  him  ;  but  I  could  not  prevail. 

Thursday,  23.  Edward  Cloutman  and  Robert  Dunbar, 
two  prisoners,  broke  prison  and  made  their  escape.  But  it  was 
found  out  the  next  morning,  and  we  were  upon  it  threatened  to 
be  confined  to  our  rooms,  but  this  threatening  was  never 
executed ;  the  only  consequent  in  respedt  to  us  was  to  have  a 
stricter  guard  kept  about  us ;  but  they  sent  out  a  number  of 
men  in  pursuit  after  them.f 

Friday,  31.  Mr.  Phillips  and  Mr.  Pinkham,  with  about  a 
dozen  of  their  men,  went  out  from  us  in  order  to  retui  ii  home ; 
but  they  went  by  the  way  of  the  West  Indies.^ 

Here  I  shall  speak  of  the  sickness  that  prevailed  among 
the  prisoners.  It  had  generally  been  very  healthy  in  the  prison 
before  this  fall ;  for  though  there  had  been  some  prisoners  there 
sixteen  months,  and  about  fifty  nine  months,  yet  there  had  but 

*  Taken     at    New    Casco.      Ibidem,  and    brought    ten    scalps    to    Montreal. 

Oft.  19.  Six  seamen  are  brought  to  pri-  Hoiu^  19. 

son.     Oft.  20.  Jacob  Read  died.   Ibidem.  \  They    may    have    been    exchanged. 

•)■  Oft.  27.  A  man  was  brought  to  pri-  The  author  seems  not  to  ha  ve  known  on 

son,  and  says  the  Indians  took  five  more,  what  terms  they  went  away. 

6 


n 


Norton's  Redeemed  Captive.         [  1 746. 

two  died ;  the  first,  Lawrence  Platter.*  He  was  taken  at 
Sarratago,    Nov.    17,    1745,  and   died   the    winter    following. 

JohneSjf  taken  at  Contoocook  in  the  summer,  1 746,  and 

died  in  August  following. 

But  our  people  who  were  taken  at  sea  by  the  two  French 
men  of  war,  viz,  the  Lazora  and  Le  Castore,  found  a  very  mortal 
epidemical  fever  raged  among  the  French  on  board  their  ships, 
of  which  many  of  them  died.  The  prisoners  took  the  infec- 
tion, and  a  greater  part  of  them  were  sick  while  they  lay  [31] 
in  Jebu6la|  harbor,  yet  but  one  or  two  of  them  died  of  it. 
And  when  they  set  out  from  thence  for  Menis,  some  of  them 
were  sick,  and  some  they  left  sick  at  Menis  when  they  set  out 
for  Canada.  Some  of  them  were  taken  with  the  distemper 
upon  their  passage  to  Canada,  and  so  brought  the  infection  into 
the  prison  \  and  the  fever  being  epidemical,  soon  spread  itself 
into  the  prisons  to  our  great  distress. 

Those  who  brought  it  into  the  prison  mostly  recovered, 
and  so  there  were  many  others  that  had  it  and  recovered  ;  but 
the  recovery  of  some  was  but  for  a  time,  —  many  of  them 
relapsed  and  died.  It  put  me  in  mind  of  that  text,  Jude,  ver. 
5,  '  I  •will  therefore  put  you  in  remembrance^  tho'  ye  once  kneiv  this, 
how  that  the  Lord  having  saved  the  people  out  of  the  Land  of  Egypt, 
afterwards  destroyed  them  that  believe  not.''  Not  that  I  have  any 
reason  to  think  ill  of  those  upon  whom  the  sickness  fell,  and 
who  died  with  it.  Many  of  them,  I  hope,  were  truly  pious 
and  godly  persons.  I  thought  we  might  very  properly  take  up 
the  Lamentation   of   Jeremiah,    Lam.    i,    18.     '  The  Lord  is 

*  Plaffer  is  probably  the  name  in-  J  Chebudlto,  a  bay  and  harbor  on  the 
tended.  See  Particular  History,  86,  87,  S.  S.  E.  coast  of  Nova  Scotia.  Near  its 
where  will  be  found  an  account  of  the  h^ad,  on  the  west  side,  is  Halifax,  set- 
depredation  in  which  he  was  taken.  tied  by  the  English  in  1749.     See  Morse, 

I  Thomas  Jones.    See  Ibidem,  ^^.  Gazetteer,  ed.  1797,  art.  Chebucto. 


I 


1746.]         Norton's  Redeemed  Captive. 


39 


righteous,^  for  I  have  rebelled  against  his  commandment.  Hear  I 
pray  for  you^  all  people y  and  behold  my  sorrow.  My  virgins  and 
my  young  men  are  gone  into  captivity.^  Ver.  20.  '  Abroad  the 
sword  devour ethy  at  home  there  is  death. ^ 

Monday,  20.  Jacob  Reed  died.  He  was  taken  at  Gor- 
ham-Town,  near  Casco  Bay,  April  19,  1746.* 

November  i.  This  day  died  John  Reed,  son  to  Jacob 
Reed,  deceased.  He  had  been  a  soldier  in  Annapolis,  and  was 
taken  near  the  fort  by  some  Indians,  May  9,  1745. 

Nov.  10.     Died  one Davis,t  a  soldier  belonging  [32] 

to  the  King's  forces  at  Louisbourg.     He  was  taken  on  the 
island  of  St.  John's,  July  loth,  1746. 

Nov.  13.  Died  John  Bingham.  He  belonged  to  Phila- 
delphia, and  was  taken  at  sea.  May  22,  1745. 

Nov.  17,  died  Nathan  Eames.|  He  belonged  to  Marl- 
borough in  the  province  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay,  was  taken 
with  me  at  Fort  Massachusetts,  August  20,  1746. 

Nov.  18.  Died  at  night,  Andrew  Sconce.  He  was  taken 
near  Albany,  August  17th,  1747. 

Nov.  20.  Died  John  Grote  of  Shenedlada.  He  was  taken 
April  27th,  i746.§ 

About  this  time  II  there  came  into  prison  two  men  who 
were  taken  at  Sheepscot  in  the  eastward.  Theii  names  Robert 
Adams  and  John  McNeer.     They  were  taken  October  20th. 


*  See    Particular    History,    etc.,    page 

9°- 

•)•  John   Davis,  and   he  died   Nov.   9. 

Hoio,  19. 

I  He  was  doubtless    a   descendant  of 

Thomas  Eames  of  Sudbury,  who  was  so 

great  a  sr*i'erer  in   Philip's  war.     Barry 

(in  his  Framingham)  has  no  Nathan,  but 


a  Nathaniel,  who  died,  he  says,  Jan.  ist, 
1746. 

I  On  the  same  day,  Mr.  Norton  mar- 
ried the  two  captives,  Leonard  Lydle  and 
Mrs.  Sarah  Briant.  His  reason  for  not 
mentioning  it  in  his  narrative  may  be 
conjedured. 

II  November  igth.   Hoiv,  19. 


i  i 


40 


Norton* s  Redeemed  Captive.         [  1 746. 


They  informed  that  one  of  their  neighbors,  named  Anderson, 
was  then  killed.* 

The  sickness  increasing  and  spreading  itself  so  greatly,  we 
sent  a  very  humble  petition  to  his  Lordship,  the  Governor 
General,  intreating  that  the  sick  might  be  removed  out  of  the 
hospital,  least  the  whole  prison  should  be  infedled  ;  but  he 
refused  to  send  our  people  to  the  hospital,  for  they  told  us  that 
their  hospital  was  full  of  their  own  sick  ;  yet  he  did  not  wholly 
negledt  our  petition,  but  ordered  that  one  of  the  most  conveni- 
ent rooms  in  the  prison  should  be  assigned  for  the  sick,  where 
they  should  all  be  carried,  and  have  their  attendance,  and  this 
was  dired:ly  done,  and  the  sick  were  all  brought  in.f 

Nov.  24.  Died  John  Bradshaw.  He  belonged  to  Capt. 
Donahew.  He  was  taken  when  Capt.  Donahew  was  killed  at 
Canso,  June  29th,  1745.  He  was  wounded  when  taken,  but 
recovered  of  his  wounds ;  soon  fell  into  a  consumptive  way, 
and  died  of  it. 

[33]  Nov.  28.  Died  Jonathan  Dunham.  He  was  taken 
with  Capt.  Pote  near  Annapolis,  May  17th,  1745.  He  died 
after  eight  or  ten  days  sickness. 

Nov.  29.  Died  William  Bagley.|  He  was  master  of  a 
vessel  taken  at  sea.  May  29th,  1746. 

December  i.  Died  Gratis  Vanderveriske,  after  a  tedious 
sickness  of  six  or  seven  weeks.  He  belonged  to  Sarratago, 
was  taken  by  the  enemy,  November  17th,  1745. 

Dec.  6.  Died  Pike  Gordon.  He  was  taken  from  Bidde- 
ford,  September  5th,  1 746 ;  was  sick  eleven  days,  and  all  the 
time  deprived  of  his  reason. 


*  Nov.  22.  The  abovesaid  Anderson's         J  Hoiv  has  this  under  the  same  date  : 
uncle  was  brought  to  prison.   Hoiv^  19.        "Capt.  Bailey  of  Almsbury  died."    Bag- 
•}■  Jonathan  Dunham  died.    Hoiv,  20.       ley  is  probably  the  right  name. 


1746.]  Norton* s  Redeemed  Captive.  41 

Dec.  7.  Died  Martha  Quaquinbush,  a  girl  taken  at  Sar- 
ratago,  Nov.  17th,  1745.  She  had  a  long  and  tedious  sickness; 
what  it  was  is  uncertain.* 

Dec.  II.  Died  Mirriam  the  wife  of  Moses  Scott.  She 
was  taken  with  me  at  Fort  Massachusetts.  She  got  a  cold  in 
her  journey,  which  proved  fatal,  her  circumstances  being 
peculiar.  She  was  never  well  after  our  arrival  at  Canada,  but 
wasted  away  to  a  mere  skeleton,  and  lost  the  use  of  her  limbs. 

Dec.  15.  Died  John  Boon.  He  was  taken  at  sea.  May 
ist,t  1746.  He  died  of  a  consumption;  belonged  to  Devon- 
shire in  England. 

Dec.  18.  Died  Mary  Woodwell,  wife  to  David  Wood- 
well,!  of  New  Hopkinton  on  Merrimack  river.  She  lay  in  a 
burning  fever  about  a  fortnight.  She  was  taken  captive,  April 
27th,  1746. 

Dec.  23.  Died  Rebecca  the  wife  of  John  Perry.  She 
was  taken  with  me  at  Fort  Massachusetts,  August  20th,  1746. 
Her  illness  was  different  from  all  the  rest.  She  had  little  or  no 
fever ;  had  a  cold,  and  was  exercised  with  wrecking  pains  until 
she  died. 

Dec.  24.  I  was  taken  with  the  distemper ;  was  seized 
with  a  very  grievous  pain  in  the  head  and  back  [34J  and  a 
fever ;  but  I  let  blood  in  the  morning,  and  took  a  good  potion 
of  physic,  and  in  a  few  days  another ;  so  that  I  soon  recovered 
again. 

Dec.  26.  Died  Wm.  Daily  of  New  York.  He  belonged 
to  Capt.  Rouse's  ship,  and  was  taken  upon  St.  John's  Island, 
July  loth,   1746.      He  had  a  very  long  and  tedious  sickness  ; 

*  She  was  ten  years  of  age.  Hoiv.  J  See  Particular  History^  etc.,   p.   92, 

■)■  One  of  Capt.  Robertson's  lieutenants     where  will   be  found  some   particulars  of 
died.   How.  her  singular  vicisitudes  of  fortune. 


I 


42 


Norton's  Redeemed  Captive.      [  1 746-7. 


mr 


several  times  he  seemed  to  be  in  a  way  to  recover  ;  but  took 
relapses,  till  he  was  worn  out.  He  swelled  in  his  neck  and 
side  of  his  face,  and  mortified. 

January  2,  1746-7.  Died  Thomas  Atkinson  of  Lancashire 
in  England;  was  taken  at  sea,  May,  1745;  his  sickness  very 
tedious  about  eight  or  nine  days  before  his  death. 

Jan.  3.  Died  Jonathan  Hogadorn.  He  belonged  to  the 
county  of  Albany,  and  was  taken  on  a  scout  near  Fort  Ann, 
Nov.  1 6th,  1745  ;  had  a  long  and  tedious  sickness  of  more 
than  two  months  continuance.* 

"The  vi  :kr'  thus  increasing,  there  were  many  taken  sick, 
which  J  do  n't  pretend  to  mention.  The  sickness  also  got  into 
the  prison-keeyr's  ^  !  "ly.  He  lost  a  daughter  by  it,  the  4th 
instant.  Upon  this  the  Governor  ordered  a  house  to  be  pro- 
vided for  the  sick,  where  they  were  all  carried  the  1 2th  instant, 
about  twenty  in  number,  with  three  men  to  attend  them  ;  and 
after  this,  when  any  were  taken  sick,  they  were  carried  out  to 
this  house. 

Jan.  12.  Died  at  night,  Francis  f  Andrews,  of  Cape  Ann. 
He  was  taken  at  sea,  June  24,  1746,  and  died  of  the  bloody 
flux,  after  a  tedious  spell  of  it. 

Jan.  15.  Died  at  night,  Jacob  Bagley,|  of  Newbury, 
after  about  two  days  sickness.  He  was  taken  at  sea,  May 
26th,  1746. 

Jan.  27.  Died  Guyart  Brabbon,§  of  Maryland,  after  ten 
weeks  sickness;  taken  at  sea.  May  22d,  1745. 


*  Jan.  4.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Norton  was 
so  far  recovered  from  sickness  that  he 
preached  two  discourses  from  Psal.  60,  1 1. 

\  Hoiv,  p.  20,  gives  the  name  PAineas 
Andrews. 


J  How,  ibidem,  gives  the  fadl  thus : 
Jacob  Baley,  brother  of  Capt.  Bailey 
aforesaid,  died. 

I  Giat  Braban,  Capt.  Chapman's  car- 
penter.  Ibidem. 


I749"7']     Nortoris  Redeemed  Captive.  43 

[35]  Jan.  23.  Died  Samuel  Lovet,  after  near  a  month's 
sickness.     He  was  taken  with  me.* 

Feb.  II.  Died  in  the  morning,  Moses  Scot,  son  to  Moses 
Scot.  He  was  a  child  of  about  two  years  old,  and  died  with 
the  consumption.  In  the  afternoon  died  Wm.  Galbaoth,t  a 
Scots-man.  He  was  taken  at  sea,  April  4th,  1 746  ;  was  sick 
about  a  month  before  he  died. 

About  this  time  I  had  another  turn  of  illness.  I  had  a 
grievous  pain  in  my  head  and  back.  The  dodor  blooded  me, 
and  advised  me  to  go  to  the  hospital ;  for,  he  said,  I  was  going 
to  have  the  distemper,  but,  by  careful  living,  I  soon  recovered, 
and  escaped  the  distemper. 

Feb.  23.  Died  Richard  Bennet.  He  belonged  to  Capt. 
Rouse's  ship,  and  was  taken  at  the  island  St.  Jon's,  July  loth, 
1746.  He  belonged  to  the  Jerseys,  and  had  a  long  and  tedious 
sickness. 

Feb.  24.  Died  Michael  Dogan,  an  Irishman.  He  listed 
at  Philadelphia,  a  soldier  for  Louisbourg,  and  was  taken  in  his 
passage  by  a  French  man  of  war.  He  had  been  sick,  and 
recovered,  but  took  a  relapse  the  20th  instant. 

March,  1747.  The  fore  part  of  this  month  our  people 
were  generally  better  in  health  than  they  had  been,  and  we 
were  in  hopes  the  distemper  would  abate  ;  yet  there  was  a 
number  sick. 

March  ^.  We  had  news  from  Nova  Scotia,  that  the 
French,  under  the  command  of  Mons.    Ramsey,  had   fallen 


*  He  was  son  of  Major  Lovet  of  Men-  treal  to  Quebec,   viz.,  John  Sunderland, 

don.  How,  20.  John   Smith,    Richard    Smith,   William 

f  Printed    Garivafs   in    Hoiv,  p.    20.  Scot,    Philip  Scofil,   and    Benj.  Tainter, 

Feb.  15.  My  nephew,  Daniel  How,  and  son   to   Lieut.    Tainter  of  Westborough. 

six  more  were  brought  down  from  Mon-  How,  20-1. 


Norton's  Redeemed  Captive.         [i747- 


upon  an  English  army  at  Minis,  had  killed  one  hundred  and 
thirty-three,  and  had  taken  four  hundred  prisoners  ;  but  the 
truth  I  suppose  was,  that  they  had  killed  about  seventy,  and 
taken  about  as  many  more. 

March  i8.  Died  Thomas  Magra,  an  Irishman.  He  was 
taken  in  the  Billinder.     His  sickness  was  very  short. 

[36]  March  21.  Died  John  Fort,  servant,  a  Dutchman. 
He  was  taken  on  a  scout  near  Fort  Ann,  November  i6th, 
1745.  He  died  of  a  consumption.  The  same  day  died  Samuel 
Goodman  of  South  Hadley.  He  was  taken  with  me  at  Fort 
Massachusetts,  and  died  of  the  scurvy. 

March  29.  Died  Mary,  the  wife  of  John  Smeed,  after  a 
tedious  sickness  of  about  eight  weeks ;  was  taken  with  me. 

April  7.  Died  John  Smeed,  Jun.  He  was  taken  with  me 
at  Fort  Massachusetts.  He  was  seized  with  the  distemper  in 
October  last,  and  was  bi  i  for  a  time,  and  then  recovered  in 
some  good  measure,  and  after  a  little  time  relapsed,  and  as  he 
did  several  times,  till  at  last  he  fell  into  a  consumption,  of 
which  he  died. 

April  8.  Died  Philip  Scaffield.  He  belonged  to  Pennsyl- 
vania sol4iers,  was  taken  near  Albany,  Odlober,  1746.  His 
sickness  was  short,  but  his  fever  very  violent. 

April  10.  Died  John  Jordan,  master  of  a  vessel  taken  at 
sea,  June  ist,  1746.  He  came  sick  into  prison,  but  seemed  to 
recover  ;  and  so  had  frequent  relapses  till  he  died.  He  belonged 
to  the  Bay  government. 

The  same  day  died  Antonio,  a  Portuguese.  He  was  taken 
in  the  English  service,  and  so  always  kept  confined.  His  sick- 
ness was  short. 

April  12.  Died  Amos  Pratt.  He  was  taken  with  me. 
He  had  a  hard  turn  of  the  Fever  in  November  and  December, 


1 747-]         Norton's  Redeemed  Captive. 

but  recovered  ;  was  taken  again  the  latter  end  of  March,  and 
so  continued  till  he  died. 

April  13.  Died  Timothy  Cummings.  He  was  taken  near 
♦/^"George's  fort,  where  he  belonged.  May  22d,  1746.  His  sick- 
ness was  short  but  very  tedious. 

April  16.  Died  John  Dill.  He  belonged  to  Nantaskett; 
was  mate  of  a  sloop,  and  taken  at  sea,  near  Jebu<Sta,  May  29th, 
1746.  His  sickness  was  upon  him  about  ten  days  before  his 
death. 

[37]  April  17.  Died  Samuel  Evans  of  Newbury.  He 
was  taken  at  sea  with  Capt.  William  Bagley.  He  had  a  fort- 
night's sickness. 

April  18.  Died  Samuel  Vaughn,*  one  of  Capt.  Rouse's 
men,  taken  at  St.  John's,  July  loth,  1746.  He  belonged  to 
Plymouth  in  New  England.  He  was  sick  about  eight  days 
before  his  death. 

April  27.  Died  Joseph  Denning  of  Cape  Ann,  master  of 
a  fishing  schooner,  taken  at  sea,  June  24th,  1746.  He  was 
exercised  with  purging  the  greatest  part  of  the  winter,  and  was 
worn  out  with  it  and  died. 

April  30.     Died  Susanna  Mc  Cartees,  infant  child. 

The  28th  of  this  instant,  when  the  prisoners  were  all  con- 
fined in  their  rooms,  but  one  or  two  in  the  lower  room  cook- 
ing the  pot,  the  prison  house  took  fire.  It  began  on  the  ridge. 
We  supposed  that  it  catched  by  sparks  lighting  upon  it.  It 
being  very  dry,  and  something  windy,  it  soon  spread  upon  the 
house,  and  we  could  not  come  at  it,  having  no  ladder,  to  quench 
it.  There  were  no  lives  lost,  but  many  lost  their  bedding  and 
clothing. 

We  were  condu6ted  by  a  strong  guard   to  the  governor's 

*  Printed  in  Hoiv\  Narrative^  page  21,  Venhon. 

7 


4^ 


Norton's  Redeemed  Captive.         [  1 747. 


Hi' 


yard,  where  we  were  kept  till  near  night,  when  we  were  con- 
ducted to  the  back  of  the  town  to  the  old  wall,  in  a  bow  of 
which  they  had  set  up  some  plank  tents  something  like  sheep's 
pens.  We  had  boards  flung  down  to  lay  our  beds  upon,  but  the 
tents  generally  leaked  so  much  in  wet  weather,  that  none  of  us 
could  lie  dry,  and  had  much  wet  weather  this  month. 

The  gentlemen  of  our  room  sent  in  a  petition  the  beginning 
of  May,  that  they  might  be  removed  to  some  more  convenient 
place.  Upon  which  we  had  a  house  built  for  us  in  the  prison- 
er's yard,  about  twenty  feet  square,  into  which  we  were  removed 
the  23d  instant.  This  was  something  more  comfortable  than 
the  tents.  1 1  this  yard  we  were  confined,  having  the  wall 
behind  it  and  at  each  end,  and  the  fort  side  picketed  in,  and  a 
guard  of  about  twenty  men  to  keep  us  in  both  by  day  and  night. 

N.  B.  1  should  have  observed  that  several  prisoners  were 
brought  into  prison  before  this;  as  Feb.  15th,  there  came  in 
seven  men  from  Mount-Real,  taken  the  summer  before.  [38] 
In  March  there  came  into  prison  a  Dutchman  from  Schanec- 
tada,  and  a  woman  from  Saratago. 

April  26th,  there  came  into  prison,  three  persons  taken  some 
time  before  at  Saratago,  and  Jonathan  Williamson,  taken  at 
Wiscassett,  at  the  eastward,  April  13th,  1747.* 


*  Probably  an  error,  and  should  be 
1746,  unless  this  was  the  second  time 
Williamson  was  a  captive.  His  place  was 
at  Broad  Bay,  and  Smith  says  — jfour- 
nalf^z  —  news  came  to  Falmouth,  May 
z  I  ( 1746)  that  "  the  Indians  had  burnt  all 
the  houses  at  Broad  Bay."  Sullivan  says, 
page  168,  that  he  returned  out  of  cap- 
tivity the  next  year  (1748).  Williamson 
lived  at  Broad  Bay,  and  was  doubtless 
taken  when  the  place  was  destroyed.  If 
he  were  taken  on  the  1 3th  of  April,  and 


delivered  at  Quebec  on  the  26th  follow- 
ing, it  was  rather  a  short  time  (thirteen 
days)  in  which  to  take  him  through  the 
wilderness,  judging  from  what  is  stated 
respecting  the  tedious  journeyings  of 
Indian  captives  of  that  time.  Nehemiah 
How  also  records  the  arrival  of  William- 
son, and  How  died  May  25th  following ; 
hence  this  reduces  the  journey  to  twelve 
days,  if  Williamson  was  taken  in  1747. 
Circumstances  seem  to  authorize  the  cor- 
rection we  have  made. 


1 747-]         Norton's  Redeemed  Captive. 


^ 


May  9.  Died  Sarah,  the  reliit  of  Wm.  Bryant.  She  was 
taken  at  vJorham  Town,  near  Casco  Bay,  April  19th,  1746. 
Her  husband  and  four  of  her  children  were  then  killed  ;  one 
escaping.     She  was  taken  sick  the  ist  of  May. 

May  13.  Died  Daniel  Smeed,  a  young  man.  He  was 
taken  with  me,  and  was  sor  to  John  Smeed.  He  was  first 
taken  sick  in  November,  and  by  frequent  relapses  was  worn 
out,  and  fell  into  a  purging,  by  which  he  wasted  away  and  died. 

May  14.  Came  into  prison  John  Larmon,  taken  at  Dama- 
scota,  in  the  eastward,  by  eleven  Indians,  April  27th,  1747,  and 
informed  that  his  wife  and  daughter  were  killed  by  them. 

May  15.  Died  in  the  morning  Christian  Tedder,*  of 
Schenedlada,  taken  May  7th,  1746.  He  was  taken  sick  about 
the  beginning  of  this  month. 

The  same  day  died  Mr.  Hezekiah  Huntington,  son  to  Col. 
Huntington  of  Norwich  in  Connefticut.  He  was  taken  at  sea, 
June  28th,  1746.  He  was  well  beloved  and  much  lamented  by 
all  sober  religious  persons. f 

This  day  also  died  Joseph  Gray  of  Maryland.  He  was 
taken  by  sea,  May  22d,  1745.  A  likely  young  man.  Thus 
we  had  three  likely  young  men  taken  from  us  in  one  day. 

May  17.  Died  Captivity  Smeed,  an  infant  about  nine  months 
old,  daughter  to  John  Smeed. 

May  18.  Died  Samuel  Martin  of  Lebanon  in  Connecti- 
cut ;  a  likely  young  man,  taken  at  sea.     His  sickness  short. 

This  day  there  came  into  Quebec,  a  schooner  and  sloop 
from  Martineco.  In  their  passage  they  took  a  sk  1  bound 
from  Philadelphia  to  Antigua,  and  brought  in  four  of  her  men. 
This  day  came  up  three  prisoners  from  Bay  Verde,  viz.,  George 


*  Hoiu  has  the  name  Fether. 


■(•  See  Particular  Historyy  p.  97. 


48 


Norton's  Redeemed  Captive,  [  1 747. 


Schavolani,  Zechariah  Hubbard,  and  a  Negro,  and  three  from 
the  frontiers  of  New  England. 

May  19.  Died  Samuel  Burbank,  of  New  Hopkinton,  an 
old  man,  taken  April  22d,  1746.*  The  same  day  died  Abra- 
ham Fort,  son  to  John  Fort,  deceased,  taken  near  Fort  Ann, 
November  i6th,  1745. 

[39]  ^^y  20.  I  was  taken  ill  with  a  grievous  pain  in  my 
head,  and  a  sore  eye,  that  I  was  almost  blind  with  it.  The 
2 1  St  I  yielded  to  be  sick.  Capt.  Roberts  and  Capt.  Williams 
were  also  both  of  them  very  sick,  being  taken  a  few  days  before 
me.  This  day  I  was  blooded,  having  something  of  the  fever. 
The  23d  I  was  blooded  again  ;  the  dodlor  also  gave  me  a  bottle 
of  eye-water,  and  advised  me  not  to  be  concerned  about  the 
fever.  I  was  sensible  they  did  not  apprehend  how  ill  I  was.  I 
intreated  of  him  to  give  me  a  potion  of  physic,  which  he  did, 
the  25th,  and  it  worked  very  well.  In  the  night  I  fell  into  ? 
sweat,  and  was  in  hopes  it  would  go  off,  but  I  was  sadly  dis 
appointed,  for  I  grew  worse  the  next  day.  My  reason  departed 
from  me,  and  returned  not,  until  the  14th  of  June.  Part  of 
this  time  I  was  given  over  by  every  one  that  saw  me.  I  had 
the  nervous  fever,  and  was  very  much  convulsed.  I  was  ex- 
ceeding low  and  weak  when  I  first  came  to  myself,  but  I 
recovered  strength  as  soon  as  could  be  expected ;  for,  by  the 
24th  of  June,  I  got  out,  and  went  into  the  chamber. 

May  21.  Died  Robert  Williams.  He  belonged  to  Eng- 
land, and  was  taken  at  sea. 

May  22.  Died  Nathaniel  Hitchcock  of  Brimfield.  He 
was  taken  with  me. 

*  See     Particular    History ,    page    92,  died  two  children,  who  were  put  out  to  the 

where  the  circumstances  of  the  attack  on  French  to  nurse."  How,  22.     May  19,  he 

Hopkinton  are  detailed,     "  At  the  same  mentions  receiving  a   letter  from  Major 

time  [the  death  ofMr.  Burbank  happened]  Willard,  which  is  his  last  entry. 


1747']         Norton  s  Redeemed  Captive,  49 

May  25.  Died  Mr.  Nehemiah  How,  of  No.  2,  aged 
about  fifty-six  J  taken  at  Great  Meadow,  October  nth,  1745.* 

May  26.  Died  Jacob  Quaquinbush,  and  Isaac  his  son, 
both  taken  at  Sarathtoga,  November  17th,  1745. 

May  30.  Died  Jacob  Shepherd,  a  pious  young  man,  well 
beloved  and  much  lamented.     He  was  taken  with  me. 

June  3.  Died  Robert  David  Roberts  of  Dartmouth,  in 
England,  master  of  a  snow,  taken  at  sea.  May  ist,  1746. 

June  10.  Died  John  Pitman  of  Marblehead,  of  the  scurvy, 
taken  at  sea,  May  27th,  1747. 

June  12.  Died  Abraham  De  Grave  of  Sechane(5tada,  taken 
0<St.,  1746. 

June  17.    Died  Samuel  Stacy,  taken  at  Menis,  Feb.,  1746,  7. 

June  20.  Died  William  Nason  of  Casco  Bay,  taken  at 
Menis,  February,  1746,  7. 

June  30.  Died  Matthew  Loring,  taken  at  sea.  May  29th, 
1746. 

[40]  This  month  there  came  into  prison  several  prisoners; 
first,  there  were  three  prisoners  brought  from  Mont  Real,  two 
of  which  were  taken  at  Sarratoga,  Feb.  22d,  1746,  and  one 
from  Canterhook,  April  loth,  1747.  One  man  killed;  at  the 
same  time  a  woman  and  child  captivated  with  him. 

June  5.  Came  in  two  men  taken  at  Pemaquid.  There 
were  twelve  men  killed  when  they  were  taken. 

June  II.  We  had  an  account  from  the  French,  that  they 
had  taken  a  number  of  Indians  and  Dutch,  who  had  first  done 
some  mischief  in  Canada.  There  was  about  fifty  in  the  whole 
scout,  and  they  had  taken  about  ten  or  twelve  of  them  in  this 

*  An  account  of  his  captivity  was  pub-      Colleiiion  of  Indian  Capti'vities,  1839.  See, 
lished  in  1748,  and  republished  in  Drake's     also,  Particular  History,  85. 


50 


Norton's  Redeemed  Captive,         [  1 747. 


Wr'-i^ 


month.  There  came  also  thirty-six  prisoners  from  Nova  Scotia, 
most  of  which  were  taken  at  Menis,  February,  1746,  7. 

July  2.  Died  Archibald  Gartrage,  a  child,  and  son  to 
Charles  Gartrage,  aged  nine  months. 

July  4.  Died  William  Prindle,  a  Louisbourg  soldier,  a  New 
England  man  originally,  taken  at  St.  John's,  July  loth,  1746. 

July  II.  Died  Corporal  William  Norwood.  He  belonged 
to  his  Majesty's  troops  which  came  from  Gibraltar  to  Louis- 
bourg, taken  at  St.  John's,  July  loth,  1746. 

July  16.  Died  James  Doyl.  He  was  taken  at  sea.  May 
29th,  1746. 

The  same  day  died  Phinehas  Forbush,  of  Westboro',  taken 
at  Fort  Massachusetts  with  me.     He  was  a  very  likely  man. 

July  21.  Died  Jonathan  Brigman,  of  Sunderland.  He  was 
taken  with  me  at  Fort  Massachusetts. 

July  25.  We  came  on  board  the  ship  Verd  Le  Grace,* 
which  the  governor  of  Canada  sent  with  a  flag  of  truce  to 
Boston.  The  27th  we  set  sail  for  New  England,  at  ten  in  the 
morning.     August  ist  we  came  in  sight  of  Cape  Breton  Island. 

August  II.  Died  on  board  our  flag  of  truce,  Nicholas 
Burt.  He  belonged  to  the  West  of  England,  and  was  taken  at 
sea.  May  ist,  1746.     Died  in  captivity,  in  all,  seventy-three. 

August  16.  We  arrived  at  Boston.  The  sick  and  infirm 
were  taken  to  the  hospital.     Col.  Winslowf  sent  to  me  and 


*  The  ship  Vierge-de-Grace  [Hand- 
some Virgin],  Captain  Larregni.  See 
N.  r.  Col.  Docs.,  X,  118. 

f  Probably  John  Winslow,of  the  fourth 
generation  from  Governor  Winslow  of 
the  Mayflower.  He  was  in  the  calami- 
tous Cuba  expedition  of  1740;  in  the 
Nova  Scotia  e:;^eaition  of  1755^  and 
general  and  commander-in-chief  at  Fort 


William,  1756;  councillor  of  the  Pro- 
vince, etc.,  etc. ;  died  in  Hingham,  1774, 
aged  seventy-two.  In  the  Neivs-Letier 
of  5  June,  1760,  is  this  notice:  "In 
Capt.  Watts  came  passenger  General 
Winslow,  who  was  welcomed  ashore  and 
congratulated  by  a  great  number  of  peo- 
ple, upon  his  return  to  his  rfStive  coun- 
try." 


to 


1747.]         Norton's  Redeemed  Captive.  51 

desired  me  to  come  and  tarry  with  him  while  I  continued  in 
Boston.  I  thankfully  accepted  it,  and  was  courteously  enter- 
tained. This  was  a  day  of  great  joy  and  gladness  to  me. 
May  I  never  forget  the  many  great  and  repeated  mercies  of 
God  towards  me. 


FINIS. 


